The UK government has announced a new programme aimed at helping UK dairy businesses to seize new export opportunities.
The Dairy Export Programme will be formally launched by the Minister for Exports, Lord Offord of Garvel at Lye Cross Farm in Bristol today (Thursday, November 9).
The programme aims to help UK agri-businesses grow by seizing new export opportunities and exploiting overseas markets for their products through a “comprehensive package” of export support, the government said.
The government said the programme is a direct result of the £1 million committed to the dairy sector by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at the Farm to Fork summit in May.
The programme will provide a wide range of targeted support for businesses, through education sessions on how to boost exports and target new markets and trade promotion activity, including an inward buyer trade mission and a UK Dairy Showcase.
Lord Offord, said:
“Growing the agri, food and drink sector is key to growing our economy, and I am delighted to launch the Dairy Export Programme which will help businesses grasp exciting new opportunities around the world.
“Last year our dairy exporters sold £2 billion of products to markets worldwide, and the work we are doing to strike up new trade deals will only see that figure rise further and move us forward in the race to £1 trillion of exports by 2030.”
The government said the programme will also provide specialist resource in priority markets dedicated to supporting dairy exports and market intelligence support to help businesses exploit overseas opportunities.
Dairy exports
Chief executive of the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), Tim Rycroft, said international trade “remains critical” to the dairy sector.
“Export development is at the heart of what AHDB does, showcasing our high-quality produce at international trade shows and hosting inward missions for key international buyers.
“We welcome today’s announcement of additional government support for the dairy sector and will continue to work collaboratively with government and industry to deliver impactful activities and help maximise global opportunities for our levy payers.
“It will support our ambition to help increase market access and international sales by championing the reputation of UK products overseas, as well as encouraging more businesses to export.”
Chair of the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) dairy board, Michael Oakes, said the new programme shows how industry and government collaboration can help drive UK dairy exports, target new markets and bolster UK exporting strength.
“With the global demand for dairy set to rise significantly, the UK should be leading the way when it comes to the trade of safe, high-quality and sustainable UK dairy products,” he said.
