In an official response to the NZ Government’s consultation on free trade deal proposals with Britain, the UK National Sheep Association (NSA) has appealed for ‘mutual respect’ for UK sheep farmers from NZ.
“Any new UK/NZ trade deal will cover all products, industries and services and it is crucial to recognise that for sheepmeat it is an entirely one-way trade,” NSA chief executive Phil Stocker said.
“We may be relatively equivalent in terms of flock size and productivity but what is not equivalent at all is the market place, with the UK having a human population of some 66 million compared to New Zealand’s 4.8m. For sheep farming there is much to be gained by NZ in striking a free trade deal with the UK post-Brexit, and much to be lost by UK sheep farmers.”
Stocker added that the British sheep industry will already be struggling if Brexit does not go smoothly, “as seems apparent today”.
“If NZ is given the go ahead to import a higher quantity of lamb (into the UK) than comes in now, it will risk either pressure on prices or the UK having to chase equivalent export markets elsewhere.”
He also warned that trade negotiations between NZ and the UK will be taking place at a time when the British sheep industry is likely to be going through significant change, leaving British producers both vulnerable and opposed to any further trade pressure.
Stocker also raised the UK industry’s concerns over differences emerging in the future application of environmental and welfare standards to British production.
“I would be highly uncomfortable with the UK having higher standards and building niche markets elsewhere in the world, and in the meantime feeding our own people on lower standard and cheaper products from overseas,” he said. “That is not the way to engage our own citizens with sustainable food production and land management.
“The UK and NZ are both countries with highly significant sheep industries and we hope there will be mutual respect shown to our sheep farmers in what could be a very difficult period going forward.”
