Brexit has "robbed rural Scotland” says Aberdeenshire East MSP
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Gillian Martin MSP has expressed frustration with economic damage to Scotland’s agriculture in reaction to the latest Scottish Government paper detailing the impact of Brexit on Scotland.
Friday saw the seven year anniversary since the majority of people in Scotland voted to remain in the European Union, the paper now published draws from official statistics and reports to set out how Scotland has been impacted by Brexit.
Aberdeenshire’s growers produce some of the highest quality seed potatoes in the world, which the European market relied on pre-Brexit as Scottish producers provided 20,000 tonnes annually.
That trade has now collapsed.
Agricultural businesses are suffering major staff shortages because of Brexit, which has hampered efforts to recruit seasonal workers from the EU.
NFU Scotland has highlighted severe difficulties replacing EU workers with UK staff, with horticulture chair Ian Brown stating, “we need migrants to get the food that is grown on our farms onto our plates, and not rotting in our fields.”
According to the National Farming Union, up to £60 million worth of food has been wasted on UK farms as a result of labour shortages.
Aberdeenshire East MSP Gillian Martin has commented: “Seven years ago, the people in Scotland voted to remain in the European Union by a substantial margin of 24 percent and there was a majority for remain in every one of Scotland’s local authority areas.
"In Aberdeenshire we have seen over the last seven years: rural Scotland has been damaged by the impact of Brexit.
“Whether it is the loss of labour from losing freedom of movement, the major loss of trade and the impact of leaving the world’s biggest single market, or the absence of long-term EU agricultural funding which the UK Government has not replaced – the damage of Brexit to Scotland’s agriculture is clear.
“Agriculture is at the heart of our local economy, and it has been excruciating to witness the damage done by Brexit to Aberdeenshire’s agriculture including our esteemed seed potato sector who have faced huge disruption in trade.
"The Scottish Government is committed to mitigating the damage to the best of its ability and preserving our relationships with European partners, but if we want to enjoy the same agricultural prosperity and security we had pre-Brexit then our only option is for an independent Scotland to re-join the European Union.”
