World Grain - May 2020 - 23

COUNTRY FOCUS

UK wheat production
(in 1,000 tonnes)

20,000

15,000

10,000

5,000

2020-21*

2019-20

2018-19

2017-18

2016-17

2015-16

2014-15

2013-14

2012-13

0

2011-12

to its relative price compared with domestic grains.
Trade sources put likely imports of wheat at 2.6 million
tonnes in 2020-21, with barley imports at 60,000 tonnes.
Imports of rapeseed are forecast at 600,000 tonnes.
According to the National Association of British and
Irish Millers (nabim), there are 32 companies, with a toWDORIPLOOLQJVLWHVLQWKHFRXQWU\¶VÀRXUPLOOLQJVHFWRU
Thirty-one are members of nabim, with 50 sites between
WKHPDFFRXQWLQJIRURI8.ÀRXUSURGXFWLRQ7KHDVVRciation puts the industry's annual consumption of wheat to
SURGXFHÀRXUDWPLOOLRQWRQQHVZLWKVRPHPLOOLRQWR
1.5 million tonnes used by starch and bioethanol producers.
The COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown that has accompanied it has forced the industry to change. Following
representations from nabim, the government decided to relax working time rules to help ensure deliveries. It also recognized food industry workers as key, giving them access
to childcare and education support, the association said in
an April 3 statement. British schools are closed but remain
open to care for children of key workers.
An early warning system also has been set up by nabim
to give notice of problems before they become critical.
"The grain supply and delivery sector, including nabim
members, has agreed small changes in working practice
WKDW ZLOO KHOS WKH ÀRZ RI JRRGV DQG DFFRPSDQ\LQJ GRFXPHQWDWLRQZKLOHUHVSHFWLQJVRFLDOGLVWDQFLQJDQGWKHGL൶culty of distributing documentation while so many adminLVWUDWLYH VWD൵ DUH ZRUNLQJ IURP KRPH´ QDELP VDLG ³7KH
government has allowed extra time for some tests to be
undertaken and, wherever possible, auditing is being conGXFWHGUHPRWHO\´
One feature of the lockdown has been increased demand
IURPFRQVXPHUVIRUEDJJHGÀRXUIRUKRPHEDNLQJ$ZHEsite has been set up by nabim to let consumers know where
they can buy the size of bags normally only sold to catering
outlets, which are now closed.
The UK left the EU on Jan.31. The country is currently
in a transition phase, in which trade continues under the

*Projected Source: International Grains Council and Statista

same terms as before, while a future relationship between
the two is negotiated. The advent of the COVID-19 crisis
means that the transition period, due to last until the end of
2020, is widely expected to be extended, although the British government, which would have to ask for an extension,
is still, at the time of writing, insisting that it will stick to
the planned timetable.
One aspect of the future that is causing particular concern for the milling industry is the arrangements for trade
between the islands of Britain and Ireland. Although the
northern part of Ireland is part of the UK, under the 1998
Good Friday Agreement, which brought piece to Northern
Ireland after many years of turmoil, there must be no hard
border between the UK and the Republic of Ireland on
the island of Ireland. That means that a customs barrier is
planned, within the UK. The government of Prime Minister
Boris Johnson is pretending that the problem does not exist, and no checks will be necessary, ignoring an explicit

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