Farming Today

29/01/24 International trade; Pollock fishermen; Land sales.

01.29.2024 - By BBC Radio 4Play

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New border controls are being phased in - these are the checks on imports introduced post Brexit, which have been delayed five times. There have been warnings that the extra costs imposed will be passed onto consumers and could add hundreds of millions of pounds to the nation's food bill. All this week we will be looking at trade: from these new rules to trade deals and their impact on British farmers. Today we speak to the International Chamber of Commerce There are growing calls for the government to support fishermen affected by the sudden ban on catching pollock. The zero quota came into force at the beginning of the year after concerns over fish stocks, but rod and line fishermen in Torquay say the decision could put them out of business. More farmland in England has been sold to investors and lifestyle buyers than farmers for the first time - figures for last year from the agents Strutt and Parker show that less than half of buyers last year were farmers - that's in comparison with 50 to 60 % in previous years. Private investors were involved in 28% of transactions; institutional investors in 13% a rise of 10% on 2022; and lifestyle buyers in 16%. Presenter = Charlotte Smith

Producer = Rebecca Rooney

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