'Brexit may impact UK's food sector severely'
17 July 2017 10:55 PM IST
With an estimated food stock available only for three to five days, Britain cannot just walk away from the European Union (EU) which provides it with 31 percent of food, food policy specialists have warned.
According to the experts, a "Food Brexit" is of unprecedented importance and is happening at a time when the UK food system is already vulnerable, with self-sufficiency also in decline.
Thus, leaving the EU is likely to pose serious risks to the UK's food and farming sector which may affect consumer interests, public health, businesses and workers unless the issues are addressed timely.
"UK food security and sustainability are now at stake. A food system which has an estimated three to five days of stocks cannot just walk away from the EU, which provides us with 31 percent of our food.
Anyone who thinks that this will be simple is ill-informed," said Tim Lang, Professor at the University of London.
Brexit is the popular term for the UK's exit from the EU. In a referendum on June 23 last year, 52 percent people voted to leave the 27-nation bloc.
Since there is no government vision for UK food or agriculture, the prices, quality, supply and the environment will all be adversely affected even with a "soft" Brexit, the report said. AGENCIES
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