The GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) currently imports approximately 85% of its food requirements.
This presents opportunities for British farmers, particularly for products such as dairy, lamb and oats. However, that the deal could include uncapped access to the UK鈥檚 poultry market for chicken meat.
While reports state this would only happen if imports meet UK hygiene standards, this rule wouldn鈥檛 extend to animal welfare standards which fall well short of those expected in the UK poultry sector.
鈥�This is the next test to see if the government will stand strong and protect the standards our country demands and values.鈥�
NFU President Tom Bradshaw
Balanced approach
Speaking at the NFU鈥檚 Conference in 2023, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer made a commitment to protect Britain鈥檚 high production standards.
More recently, Defra Secretary Steve Reed set out in the government鈥檚 New Deal for Farmers that it will 鈥減rotect farmers from being undercut by low welfare and low standards in trade deals鈥�. 皇家华人is urging the government to continue to stand by this pledge.
NFU President Tom Bradshaw said: 鈥淏alanced and mutually beneficial trade deals can provide a real economic boost, including for farm businesses.
鈥淎 modern trade deal with the GCC, if fair and balanced, could offer huge potential for agricultural exporters. But, as always, this balance depends on the government upholding its commitments to not allow greater market access for food imports which have been produced in ways that are illegal here. This would undermine Britain's reputation for high animal welfare standards that our producers deliver, and consumers value and rightly expect.
鈥淥ur poultry sector produces to some of the highest standards in the world.鈥�
This includes rules around the number of birds per flock, enrichment and the environment in which they鈥檙e kept.
Tom added: 鈥淭his is vastly different to the GCC trading bloc which only seems to have basic welfare provisions, which fall well short of the robust species-specific legislation in place in the UK.
鈥淚t鈥檚 vital the government takes the same balanced approach it took with the recent India and US trade agreements. This is the next test to see if the government will stand strong and protect the standards our country demands and values.鈥�
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UK trade negotiations with the Gulf Cooperation Council
