Salmon Scotland has written to the UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson to raise concerns about the impact of a ‘trade war’ with Europe following a statement from Foreign Secretary Liz Truss.
The trade body for the UK’s biggest fresh food export has raised fear that the changes to the Northern Ireland protocol could “undo” the sector’s work to drive up exports to the EU in recent months, which has brought in hundreds of millions of pounds for the UK economy.
Salmon Scotland blasted the proposed moves from Truss as risking placing “considerable strain on the relationship between the UK and the EU,” urging the government “to keep talking to Europe” in the hope of finding “an amicable and consensual agreement” to the dispute.
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“The last 18 months have been tough for UK exporters with fresh border checks, extra paperwork and confusion all adding to costs and delays. We, in the Scottish salmon sector, know that only too well given that more salmon is exported from the UK than any other fresh food product,” Salmon Scotland Chief Executive Tavish Scott wrote in his letter to Johnson.
“Any deterioration in relationships between London and Brussels which leads to friction at the border, delays and queues for hauliers crossing to France or extra costs for our exporters could put us back to where we were at the start of last year when exports were in chaos,” Scott added.
“That is why we are urging you today not to do anything that puts the UK on a collision course with Europe. That really is the last thing our exporters need at this time,” Scott concluded.
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Scott has also held talks with the UK Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs this week. Scottish salmon sales to the EU were worth £372 million in 2021, accounting for 61 percent of global Scottish salmon exports.
