I’ve welcomed comments made by the Prime Minister regarding the upcoming UK-EU summit, which could help remove damaging Brexit red tape for key Scottish food exports including seed potatoes and Scottish salmon.
Speaking in the House of Commons, the PM highlighted the heavy burden Brexit restrictions continue to place on Scottish trade – noting that Scottish salmon faces a 100% border document check rate costing tens of millions in lost exports, while Scottish seed potatoes remain entirely banned from the EU market.
He indicated that the forthcoming summit between the UK and the EU presents an opportunity to address these barriers and ease shipping costs for food producers.
I’ve consistently pressed the UK government to prioritise removing trade obstacles affecting North East farming, fishing, and food producers. In previous constructive engagements with former DEFRA Minister of State Daniel Zeichner, I urged Westminster to make lifting the EU ban on Scottish seed potatoes, and securing a better deal for coastal and rural communities, a central priority in trade negotiations.
I’ve stressed that breaking down trade friction is vital to protecting local jobs, boosting rural economies, and restoring lost export markets. The catastrophic impact of Brexit on our premium food and drink exports – dragged out of the EU against Scotland’s will – has been laid bare once again. For far too long, our world-class seed potato growers and coastal salmon producers have had to bear the brunt of burdensome red tape, costly border checks, and outright export bans.
I welcome the recognition that the upcoming UK-EU summit must be used to tackle these barriers head-on. In my meetings with former DEFRA Minister Daniel Zeichner, I made it abundantly clear that resuming seed potato exports and supporting our primary producers must be high priorities for any reset in relations with Europe.
The very same principles apply directly to Scottish salmon – our country’s biggest food export. As the SNP has repeatedly highlighted, Brexit red tape is draining millions of pounds every year from our seafood and aquaculture sectors, putting Scottish businesses at an unfair disadvantage.
While any recognition of these challenges at the UK level is a step in the right direction, words must now turn into concrete action.
I will be keeping a close eye on progress at the upcoming summit to ensure that the interests of Aberdeenshire North and Moray East – and the wider Scottish economy – are firmly protected and delivered upon.
