Post-Brexit trade barriers have coincided with a sharp downturn in British agricultural exports to the European Union, with new official figures showing sales of farm products have fallen by more than a third over the past five years. Analysis of HM Revenue and Customs data by the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) indicates that exports of goods ranging from poultry to cheese declined by roughly 37.4% between 2019 and 2024, underscoring the lasting disruption to trade with the UK’s biggest market.
The poultry sector has been among the hardest hit, with exports down by 37.7%, while beef sales to EU countries dropped by 23.6%, dairy by 15.6%, and lamb by 14% over the five-year period. NFU President Tom Bradshaw acknowledged that not all the decline can be solely attributed to Brexit, but said it clearly reflected the significant challenges exporters now face in a trading relationship that is no longer governed by seamless access to the single market.
Industry figures and farmers’ representatives have long warned that the end of free movement of goods between the UK and the EU would trigger increased costs, paperwork and delays at borders, and that these “non-tariff barriers” would deter buyers and disrupt supply chains once taken for granted under EU membership. Even before these latest figures, data had consistently shown large falls in UK food and drink exports to the EU, with broader trade reporting a drop of more than 34% in food and drink shipments since Brexit.
Businesses have also highlighted substantial administrative costs associated with exporting to EU markets. UK firms collectively spent millions on licences and certificates last year to satisfy EU import requirements, expenses that exporters say weigh particularly heavily on smaller producers that lack the capacity to absorb such red tape.
The NFU president stressed that addressing the decline will require “years of effort” to rebuild demand in continental markets, warning that simply reducing trade friction will not automatically restore British products to their former prominence on European shelves. “There aren’t empty spaces on the shelves with a label saying ‘waiting for British products’,” Bradshaw said, underlining the need for promotional work and strategic engagement with EU buyers.
Against this backdrop, the UK and EU are gearing up for renewed negotiations on farming and agrifood trade rules as part of a wider “reset” of their post-Brexit relationship. Officials from both sides have agreed to fortnightly political-level meetings in the run-up to a leaders’ summit expected in mid-2026 in an effort to smooth discussions and address outstanding issues.
The talks come amid broader debate in Westminster and Brussels over how to reduce barriers without undermining regulatory standards. Some agricultural groups are advocating for transition arrangements that would protect British exporters from abrupt changes in market access, while others warn that any alignment with EU sanitary and phytosanitary rules could curtail the UK’s own regulatory flexibilities.
Business and farming groups have also called for transitional protections if post-Brexit rule changes are agreed, fearing that sudden shifts in standards could cost the sector hundreds of millions of pounds and deepen the export slump.
As the government pushes to reset ties with its largest trading partner, producers are urging careful negotiation and long-term strategies to help revive what was once a thriving agricultural export relationship.
