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Exporters from Australia want to be able to compete directly with the Republic of Ireland (ROI) for a share of the UK’s valuable beef import market, a representative from industry body Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) has said.
Addressing a House of Lords committee on Wednesday, Mary Johnson from the producer-owned co-op, which undertakes marketing activity on behalf of the Australian red meat industry, said the country did not envisage going up directly against domestic producers.
“We are not looking to compete against British producers, we just know there is a requirement in the market for imports and we would like to be able to service that requirement,” she said.
UK imports
In 2020, the UK imported 246,305t of beef, of which 194,368t or 79% came from ROI. Only 559t was imported from Australia.
At the end of the Brexit transition period, the UK and EU agreed to split an existing beef quota allocated to Australia, meaning that it does have a UK allowance for 3,761t at a preferential tariff rate, set at 20%.
However, negotiators from Australia and the UK are finalising a free trade deal, which is expected to phase-in a complete removal of tariffs and quotas on imports over a 15-year period.
“If British customers need high-quality red meat product, then we would be happy to supply that demand,” said Johnson.
The prospect of the imminent Australian free trade deal has raised concerns among UK farm organisations, worried that it sets a dangerous precedent, and will lead to other major food exporters, such as NZ, the US and Mercosur countries, expecting the same terms.
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