Farmers and food producers to lose almost £300m from Australia trade deal, MPs warn

Ministers told to ‘ensure the sector is no worse off’ – after Boris Johnson vowed to ‘protect’ it

Farmers and food producers stand to lose almost £300m from the trade deal with Australia and need government help, a report by MPs says.

Boris Johnson vowed to “protect” the sectors when seeking his first post-Brexit agreement – but then overruled other cabinet ministers to strike a deal that effectively removes import tariffs immediately.

Trade experts have concluded the agreement hands Australia an export boost six times greater than the UK’s likely gain, estimated to be just 0.08 per cent of GDP by 2035.