Brexit means cheap food imports, says Farage

Food imports will be cheaper once the UK leaves the EU, former Ukip leader Nigel Farage has claimed.

In a comment likely to anger and alarm many farmers, Mr Farage said cheaper food imports were just one benefit from leaving the EU.

Mr Farage made the comments as he sparred with Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron during BBC One’s The Andrew Marr Show on Sunday (19 September).

See also: Farmgate prices will need to fall heavily without Brexit deal

Mr Farage said: “Everything will get much cheaper – absolutely.

“We will open ourselves up to the world – we can get rid of the common external tariff – and buy cheaper food.”

‘Cheaper butter’

He added: “Don’t you remember years ago – cheaper butter, lamb from New Zealand? There are lots of opportunities.”

We will open ourselves up to the world – we can get rid of the common external tariff – and buy cheaper food Nigel Farage, former Ukip leader

Mr Farron had earlier said that prices on UK shop shelves would be an issue of “vast significance” outside the EU.

The Lib Dem leader has also suggested many farmers would go bust unless the government maintains direct payments post-Brexit.

Mr Farron has launched a “Not A Penny Less” campaign calling on the government to commit to replacing EU funding beyond 2020.

But government data suggests the plunge in sterling after the Brexit vote gave an immediate helpful nudge to trade in British meat.

‘Imports dropped’

In July, the first full month after the 23 June’s referendum, UK beef imports dropped sharply, at the same time as exports grew.

HMRC data shows Britain bought 19,500t of foreign beef – 17% less on the year. Shipments from the main supplier, Ireland, fell by a fifth.

On the import side, 14% less sheepmeat came into the country during July – largely driven by a drop-off from New Zealand.

But the AHDB said this was unlikely to be linked to currency movements, as it took a long time for shipments to arrive from the southern hemisphere.