Quote:
Originally Posted by 1andrew1
He was aware of the potential difficulties from Brexit but it seems to be a very specialised trade with little expertise in the UK
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In 1974 something of the reverse was true, as UK-based sugar refiners relied mostly on cane imported from commonwealth countries (Tate & Lyle were the biggest but not the only). European tariffs on cane imports are designed to protect beet producers located predominantly in northern continental Europe (and mainly the Netherlands).
In terms of its effect on the economy as a whole, the tariffs that hit our domestic sugar production back then were vastly greater than those now affecting what is, as you say, a niche product like French lace made in Derbyshire. It sounds to me as if that business would have become unviable several decades ago had we not entered the Common Market when we did.
Thank you, however, for (eventually) providing some necessary context for a very niche reader’s letter than you earlier seemed to be offering as a far broader comment on our post-Brexit tariff regime.