Government cheesed off over dairy exports

19 May 1998

Government cheesed off over dairy exports

By FWi staff

THE UKs cheese trade deficit (exports v imports) is a staggering £500 million a year – a situation the Government finds unpalatable.

Lord Donoughue, junior farm minister, yesterday (Monday) visited Neals Yard Dairy in London to discuss with processors what can be done to raise the level of cheese exports.

During the visit he said: “The British Cheese Seminar I hosted in March was the first step in my drive to expand the UKs food export potential, and I was very pleased that the cheese industry responded so well.”

Lord Donoughue said he was meeting processors to discuss ways of improving the marketing of British cheese. He said he also wanted to find out about the major obstacles to exporting cheese, and the most important factors in securing and developing cheese export markets.

One industry source cheekily suggested that lowering the strength of the Pound would be a “Sterling start”.