Why we need international trade - Trade & Coronavirus
Certainly, the coronavirus crisis has shaken international trade. Trade certainly needs to learn lessons from this, and those lessons are still emerging, but now more than ever we see the importance of international trade and we need to facilitate and support it. We therefore strongly support the call by The Food & Drink Federation “to all governments to ensure trade continues to flow freely without restriction so that together we can come through this incredibly difficult time stronger than ever.”
We are faced with global challenges and they require international cooperation and trade is a key part of that picture. The World Trade Organisation has in recent times faced its own challenges but the present situation is one in which global cooperation through the WTO could be used to move forward from this. The WTO exists to deal with the global rules of trade between nations. Its main function is to ensure that global trade flows smoothly, predictably and as freely as possible. Coronavirus has been a case study in why we need to move towards more electronic systems for the documentation that underpins international trade (certificates of origin, veterinary certification etc) and the WTO has a key role to play in driving this. We welcome the joint statement made by the heads of the WTO, the UN FAO and WHO issued on 31st March calling on governments to minimise the impact of COVID-19 related border restrictions on trade in food.
In the meat industry, international trade is even more crucial than for many other sectors. We disassemble rather than assemble our product and that means every cut has to find a market. Exporters focus on getting veterinary approval to export to new markets for their goods and it is often forgotten that one man (or woman’s!) export is another man (or woman’s!) import. For the meat sector carcass balance is key and in the UK market consumers have a preference for certain cuts – steaks, mince, lamb legs, chicken breast whereas they don’t have the same interest in pig’s trotters or chicken feet. These are delicacies in other parts of the world and international trade facilitates the various cuts to the markets where they are most desired. Imports are key in providing UK food security, consumer choice and inputs to manufacturing. We need both imports and exports to continue flowing.
We need to work together as an industry to respond to the challenge faced by the domestic sector and importers alike, that of the loss of the foodservice market and what that means for carcass balance.
We have found that in the last few weeks that Defra, FSA and HMRC in the UK and The European Commission have been exemplary in the assistance and dialogue provided to industry at this time. There has been proper, real time sharing of information and meeting of minds to seek solutions to issues that have arisen. We hope that this strengthened dialogue between industry and government continues after this situation has passed.
This crisis has highlighted the role of all those involved in the international food supply chain and how they are all vital to its smooth operation from vets, farmers, producers and food manufacturing workers to hauliers, port workers and freight forwarders.
IMTA represents importers, exporters and wholesalers of meat. We believe two-way trade is essential to deliver carcase balance, food security and consumer choice. We are a member of the European Livestock and Meat Trades Union (UECBV) and are working to achieve the continuation of trade post-Transition Period.
Further reading
IMTA Self-sufficiency myth: Why self-sufficiency is not desirable nor feasible