Extract from Wales Assembly questions to the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs - Feb 20

Neil Hamilton AM: But let's look at this in a positive light. There is going to be a massive opportunity for British farmers and food producers generally after 29 March, if there's no deal. Just let's look at the figures. In beef, let's take beef: we export £450 million-worth of beef; we actually import £1.3 billion-worth of beef. So, we actually export only one third of what we import. Lamb: it's broadly based. We import as much as we export and the imports come mostly from New Zealand, but New Zealand is increasingly interested in exporting to other parts of the world, like China and the far east and, actually, sales from New Zealand to Europe are falling and they don't use anything like their quota anyway. Pig meat: we export £470 million-worth a year; we actually import £1.1 billion-worth year. So, there's a massive opportunity there for people who are in the pig meat production area. Dairying—[Interruption.] Cats, the Member for Ynys Môn thinks we should be concentrating on. I think we should take this seriously as an issue and not try to make a joke out of it. In dairy products again there's an opportunity. Eighty-two per cent of the milk that Ireland exports comes to the United Kingdom, as does 49 per cent of their beef. I'd like to know what the Minister is doing to promote Welsh produce within the United Kingdom to take up the opportunities that will open up after 29 March if there's no deal.