Irish agri-food exports to the UK have increased by 8.4% according to trade statistics released for 2021. This comes as Brexit ended just over a year ago with businesses and government authorities having made adjustments to their operations in order to accommodate the changes involved in the process.
According to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), Charlie McConalogue his department remains fully engaged with the industry in preparing for these changes, and adds that there is a range of activities on which both the department and industry are working, in order to ensure that they are ready.
Further impacts of Brexit are yet to be felt in the trade market, and the Minister says that the Irish-UK trade patterns are still evolving. It’s understood that the unregistered importers portal, which facilitated the immediate transition to new Brexit import control arrangements in 2021 is to be discontinued with effect from March 15.
With the deadline fast approaching Minister McConalogue has urged all food business operators and agri-food exporters to register with the DAFM to ensure import operations and their corresponding payment systems would remain efficient.
McConalogue comments that the complex, integrated agri-food supply chains between Ireland, Northern Ireland and Britain are still adjusting.
LSL News.