What does a no-deal Brexit mean for our food?

The Food Programme

BBC

Arts, Food

4.4 • 943 Ratings

🗓️ 27 January 2019

⏱️ 30 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

With just over 60 days before we're set to leave the EU Dan Saladino gathers thoughts along the food supply chain, from farmers and retailers to exporters and so called "preppers", on the prospects of a no deal Brexit.

The likes of the British Retail Consortium, which represents the major supermarkets, and the Food and Drink Federation, which speaks on behalf of the biggest processors and producers in the UK have voiced their concerns that a "no deal" and more disruptive Brexit could mean significant delays importing food into the UK. For this reason their members have been stockpiling supplies to prevent disruption for customers.

However, as farmer Guy Watson explains, we are entering the so called hungry gap, meaning that by March 29th we'll be supplying very little of our own fruit and veg. Businesses such as his, the Riverford box scheme, will instead be depending on fresh produce brought in from Italy and Spain. He believes more than four days of disruption could wipe out his profits, and two weeks of delays could bankrupt the business.

Meanwhile other members of the farming community believe we should stay focused on the idea that food benefits will come from Brexit, whilst others are convinced trading under World Trade Organisation terms will provide us with plenty of new options for imports.

Dan travels along the supply chain to hear a range of different views on what the next few weeks might hold as farmers, food producers and retailers wait for the stalemate in Westminster to end.

Transcript

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0:00.0	You don't need us to tell you there's a general election coming.
0:04.7	So what does it mean for you?
0:06.7	Every day on newscast we dissect the big talking points, the ones that you want to know more about.
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0:16.8	And with help from some of the best BBC journalists,
0:19.5	we'll untangle the stories that matter to you.
0:23.0	Join me, Laura Kunsberg, Adam Fleming, Chris Mason and Patty O'Connell for our daily
0:28.4	podcast.
0:29.4	Newscast, listen on BBC Sounds. BBC Sounds. BBC Sounds, music radio podcasts.
0:37.0	In just over 60 days, we're set to leave the European Union.
0:45.0	There's deadlock in Westminster and a no-deal scenario is still on the table.
0:50.0	It's possible you might be feeling anxious about where we're heading, but imagine you're in the food business with crops in the ground or perhaps import orders in the pipeline and shells that need to be filled on March 30th. That's what
1:06.6	we're going to be taking a look at in this edition, something of a snapshot of
1:11.3	lives in the supply chain and where better to start than on a farm.
1:17.0	I'm Guy Watson. I'm from Riverford Farm recording this for Dan on the food program. It's January the 20th on a cold
1:30.4	morning. I'm standing in the middle of a field of winter brassica is trying to work out what we can pick for our
1:36.2	veg boxes this week.
1:38.2	Guy Watson recorded a little audio diary for us, capturing his mood as he set about sourcing the fruit and
1:44.7	veg that would fill the 70,000 boxes destined for homes around the UK.
1:50.8	At this time of year, and increasingly so towards March 29th, much of that food will need to come from the continent.
1:59.0	There is a period between early March and say mid-June when green vegetables are in very short supply within the UK.
2:08.0	Indeed I would estimate that 80% plus of them will be imported mostly from the south of Spain and south of Italy.
	...

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