No-deal must be avoided to prevent '˜agri-food chaos'

Responding to the Government’s call for businesses to step up planning for a no-deal outcome, Michael Bell, Executive Director of the Northern Ireland Food and Drink Association (NIFDA), said the group had become “extremely concerned” at the lack of clarity around Brexit and warned businesses could not plan in a vacuum.

“Given our land border with the EU, we face unique challenges in the event of a no-deal outcome. It is simply not possible for businesses to make adequate plans to address these challenges in a vacuum.

“If business is to step up its planning, then NIFDA calls on both the UK and Irish governments to urgently share their no-deal planning scenarios, particularly with regard to managing trade across the border, as their plans will form the frameworks within which we will need to operate.”

Time was running out, he added.

“Information must be shared if we are to have any chance of mitigating the highly damaging consequences of a no-deal outcome to the Northern Ireland economy.

“A no-deal outcome would be devastating to our local food and drink industry, and we strongly urge politicians to do everything in their power to avoid it. The proposed backstop with the Draft Withdrawal Agreement is a much preferable alternative which provides vital assurances for business here. Businesses are totally unprepared for the chaos that would ensue from a no-deal and the economy will suffer a massive shock. To that end we call on the UK Government to focus on agreeing a deal and to avoid a ‘no-deal’ at all costs.”