British farmers have voiced concerns that they will be unable to compete with cheap imports after the Government struck a trade deal with Australia.
Canadian farmers are now looking to secure similar access to the British market, after UK concessions to Australia has opened the floodgates for food imports.
The generous terms offered to Australia have sparked fears among British farmers of being undercut by cheap imports of beef and lamb from overseas.
UK farming bosses fear if other countries demand the same terms then the future of many British farms could be put at risk.
The UK has reportedly offered Australia a deal which would see a 15-year transition to zero-tariffs and zero-quotas.
UK farmers are against zero-tariff access because they believe they could be undercut by cheap Australian beef and lamb imports.
Claire Citeau, head of the Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance, said: “Securing better, meaningful and competitive access to the UK market is a top priority for our exporters”
However, Nick Fenwick, head of policy at the Farmers’ Union of Wales, suggested the industry fears the Australia deal will open the floodgates for cheap imports from other countries.
He said: “We’ve set our bar so low, that is what the other nations will be looking at when they walk into the negotiating room.”
LSL News.