British food exporters are facing an uphill battle in Asia

 

British food exporters are facing an uphill battle in Asia, despite promises of easy access to new markets after Brexit. At a recent food and drink event in Singapore, British cheese exporter Stephen Jones struggled to convince locals of the merits of Wensleydale and Stinking Bishop cheeses. Meanwhile, Italian and French exhibitors drew large crowds with their high-end cuisine and diplomatic support.

The UK lags behind its European counterparts in terms of sales and reputation, with Italy exporting over €64.4bn worth of food and drink globally, compared to the UK's £24.4bn. British food exporters are critical of the government's lack of support, with many feeling that they are not doing enough to match their rhetoric.

The UK delegation in Singapore was only able to attend the event by paying out of their own pockets, as they have received no government funding since 2019. This lack of support makes it difficult for British exporters to compete with other European countries, who receive significant government backing.

Despite this, there is potential for British producers in the Asian market, with rising incomes, increased travel, and social media driving demand for Western food. The UK government has signed a deal to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), a free trade agreement between 11 countries, but experts say this will only add a small percentage to the size of the UK's economy over ten years.

British food exporters are being guided towards regions like Asia, but the current reality is that the EU market is still four times bigger. However, trade with European countries is now increasingly fraught with post-Brexit issues, with additional red tape costs estimated at £58m for exporters last year.

The UK government insists it is looking at the longer-term picture, but British food exporters are feeling frustrated and abandoned. They argue that the government needs to do more to support them in accessing new markets and competing with other European countries.

In the meantime, British cheese exporters like Stephen Jones will continue to educate locals about the merits of Wensleydale and Stinking Bishop, one piece of cheese at a time.