WITH the rising possibility that the UK may face a ‘no-deal’ relationship with the EU following Brexit, farmers are being advised to prepare for potential disruption when purchasing fertiliser.

“The future trading relationship between the UK and Europe is still in the balance,” explained Gareth Flockhart, business manager for Yara Scotland. “There remains a strong possibility that there will be a ‘no-deal’ Brexit. If ‘no-deal’ is the outcome, the farming community must be prepared for the 6% import duty or tariff that will be imposed on the majority of fertilisers that enter Great Britain.

“We as a business have ensured we are doing as much as possible to offset any potential problems," added Mr Flockhart. "However, we would encourage all farmers to consider their requirements for this coming spring. If you have storage available, look to plan early delivery of some – if not all – your fertiliser requirements before the new year."

Vice chair of the ENFU Crops Board, James Cox, is still optimistic a deal will be reached. Mr Cox said: “There is too much at stake for both our economies for negotiators to fail to reach an agreement. Politics can be perverse but I am hopeful that business sense will prevail.

"However, I would encourage all farmers to look carefully at every area of their business to ensure they have reduced risk wherever they can. Availability of inputs is certainly one area that is vital for farmers to protect.”