Extra £22m boost for Welsh food and drink industry
The Welsh food and drink industry will receive a £22 million funding boost to help the sector continue to thrive post-Brexit.
The Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs Lesley Griffiths made the announcement at the Blas Cymru/TasteWales event – an event which brings global buyers and Welsh producers together to showcase our quality products and help open new markets and international trade deals ahead of Brexit.
The new investment, will be across the sector offering new support to realise business growth opportunities and ambitions and to propel innovation forward.
It will directly support the foundation sector in Wales respond to the challenges and opportunities of Brexit. Further details on the projects that will benefit from the investment will be announced in the forthcoming months.
Delight
Welsh food and drink exports in 2018 were worth £539m – up two per cent or £10m on the previous year. Since 2014, the value of food and drink exports in Wales increased by 32 per cent. The value of Welsh food and drink exports to non-EU countries increased by £25m in 2018, with £145m of exports going to them during the year.
Ms Griffiths said: "Our food and drink sector is globally renowned and a real Welsh success story. It is already close to meeting our ambitious 2020 target earlier than expected. However, we cannot let Brexit derail the sector’s success and we must take every opportunity to showcase all it has to offer globally.
"As Blas Cymru/TasteWales gets underway again, I am delighted to be able to announce an additional £22 million for the sector to build on its success to date and support the industry to become even more resilient and respond to the challenges and opportunities Brexit brings.
"With Brexit fast approaching it is more important than ever for the sector to showcase what it has to offer and have the opportunity to reach new markets and strike international trade deals."
