German farmers seek open market with UK after Brexit

Joachim Rukwied, the president of the German farming association DBV, has raised concerns over the impact of Brexit on agriculture
Joachim Rukwied, the president of the German farming association DBV, has raised concerns over the impact of Brexit on agriculture

An open market with the United Kingdom should be a 'high priority' in Brexit negotiations, the head of Germany's farm association DBV has said.

Germany exported about £4.16 billion of food and farm products to the United Kingdom in 2015.

DBV head Joachim Rukwied said: "The United Kingdom is an important market for the German farming industry.

"An open market with the United Kingdom for us should have a high priority in the Brexit negotiations."

The 3.4 billion euro surplus alone was more than Germany's entire food exports to the United States, he said.

German farmers are worried about the status of big German food exports to Britain which totalled about 6 percent of German food exports. Sales include German meat, milk, grains, fruit and vegetables.

"We have a surplus in trade with food from Germany to the United Kingdom of 3.4 billion euros," he said.

Britain could be involved in a food free trade deal with the EU after Brexit, German Agriculture Minister Christian Schmidt told Reuters in July.

The loss of sales to Russia of German milk, pork, fruit and vegetables had caused downward price pressure on the country.