EU’s MERCOSUR deal comes into effect on 1 May, indirectly threatening UK farm production of beef, pork and chicken – once it has hollowed out the EU meat producing sector
The road to starvation -via the destruction of meat producing farms in the EU and UK – is paved with wind and solar that meet socialist “green” intentions
From here:
EU says Mercosur deal set for provisional application from 1 May | Watch
Apologies for the usual MSN gibberish encapsulated in a tortuous video!
Let me work my spin using data from Brave AI.
“The European Union is the United Kingdom’s largest supplier of agricultural goods, accounting for approximately 71% of the UK’s agricultural imports.
he most significant categories of agricultural products exported from the EU to the UK include:
Fruit and Vegetables: These are the leading food commodities imported by the UK from the EU, with an import value of over £13.2 billion in 2023.
Meat: The second most imported EU commodity in the food, feed, and drinks category, valued at approximately £8.2 billion in 2023. This includes significant volumes of pigmeat, poultry, and red meat.
Dairy Products: The UK imports substantial quantities of dairy, which, along with red meat, represents a sector where 83% of the UK’s exportable surplus is historically directed toward the EU market, indicating a highly integrated two-way trade flow.
Other Key Commodities: Major exports also include wine, beverages, and processed food products. Specific high-value items such as cheese, potatoes, and chicken are significant components of this trade, with the Netherlands remaining the largest single foreign supplier within the EU.
The EU/MERCOSUR deal not only introduces massive amounts of agricultural products that compete directly with those produced by EU farmers, but the re-export of these products to the UK will compete directly with UK farmers.
To whit:
“The EU-Mercosur Partnership Agreement, signed in January 2026, establishes tariff-rate quotas for several agricultural products that are also commonly produced and consumed in the UK, including beef, poultry, pigmeat, cheese, and sugar.
Key details regarding these products include:
Beef: Mercosur gains access to a quota of 99,000 tonnes with a 7.5% duty, representing approximately 1.6% of EU beef consumption.
Poultry: A duty-free quota of 180,000 tonnes is phased in over five years, accounting for about 1.4% of EU poultry consumption.
Pigmeat: Mercosur receives a quota of 26,500 tonnes (including 1,500 tonnes reserved for Paraguay) with a reduced tariff of €83/tonne.
Cheese: The EU gains a duty-free quota of 30,000 tonnes for exports to Mercosur.
Sugar & Rice: Mercosur receives quotas for 180,000 tonnes of sugar and 60,000 tonnes of rice.
While the UK is not a party to the EU-Mercosur deal, the British Agriculture Bureau and AHDB note that increased competition on the EU market for these specific products could displace imports onto the UK market, potentially affecting UK farmers’ profitability. Additionally, reduced soybean export taxes under the deal may lower feed costs for UK producers, impacting the cost competitiveness of UK pig and poultry sectors.
In the case of beef:
2020: Imports from the EU totaled 237,928 tonnes, representing 98% of all UK beef imports.
· The UK produces approximately 937,000 tonnes of beef and veal annually,
· In 2024, the UK exported 113,000 tonnes of beef while importing 241,000 tonnes.
EU tariffs and Beef prices
Unit Values for High-Value Cuts: For fresh boneless beef cuts (such as rump and loin), the average unit value from Argentina to the EU was €10.74 per kg (2021-2023 average), subject to an effective tariff equivalent of 41%.
For frozen boneless beef cuts, primarily from Brazil, the unit value was €6.47 per kg, with an effective tariff equivalent of 60%.
Tariffs of between 40 and 60% - falling to .7.5%.
All these beef numbers are mixed up in recent US/UK trade deals.
At least some of the quota of ,99,000 tonnes of beef from South America into the EU will find its way into the UK, once it has displaced EU beef production – from price competition.
“UK beef has entered the US market tariff-free for the first time, marking the first shipment under a 13,000-tonne reciprocal quota established by the UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal. The initial consignment arrived from Foyle Food Group in Northern Ireland, valued at over £190,000, delivering approximately £50,000 in tariff relief and easing costs for exporters.
I doubt the US will allow re-export of beef from the EU via MERCOSUR!
Just to confuse matters
“outh American Mercosur signatories (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay) export beef to the United States primarily under Tariff Rate Quotas (TRQs) that allow specific volumes to enter with reduced or zero tariffs, while exports exceeding these limits face a 26.4% tariff.
Argentina: Has an annual TRQ of 20,000 metric tons; in 2024, exports exceeded this quota by approximately 14,500 metric tons, with most out-of-quota shipments being higher-value cuts.
Uruguay: Has an annual TRQ of 20,000 metric tons; in 2023 and 2024, about 45,000 metric tons were exported outside this quota, subject to the higher duty.
Paraguay: Recently gained access to the U.S. market, making its first air shipment of beef to the U.S. in January 2024 after the market was officially opened to Paraguayan meat products.
Brazil: While the world’s leading beef exporter, specific U.S. tariff-free quota figures for Brazil are not detailed in the provided context, though the country faces general trade dynamics and recent tariff adjustments in broader agreements.
Recent trade shifts include a February agreement where the U.S. quadrupled the tariff-free beef import quota for Argentina, aiming to lower U.S. consumer prices while strengthening diplomatic ties.
The available documents focus primarily on U.S. beef exports to the EU, noting that American exports reached 13,438 metric tons under the High Quality Beef quota in 2022, and highlighting the EU’s strict regulatory barriers to U.S. meat imports due to hormone bans and the precautionary principle.
There are currently no beef exports from the EU to the US to speak of -let’s see if ‘backdoor beef’ becomes a thing between the EU and US.
Here’s summary of Mercosur aims.
“Mercosur’s principal goals are to promote free trade and the fluid movement of goods, people, and capital among its member states. Established as a customs union, the bloc aims to achieve a common external tariff for imports from non-member countries and harmonize economic policies to enhance the global competitiveness of its economy.
Beyond trade, Mercosur prioritizes deeper regional integration and economic development by creating a common market that generates business opportunities. The organization also seeks to strengthen political relations and cooperation among members, including commitments to democracy, human rights, and environmental sustainability.
The EU is a union of socialist republics (EUSR) much like the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics- (USSR) – both centrally planned with rules set by a politburo.
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Free markets, mass immigration and a politico ruled 'Socialism' does not form a very social society and is certainly not human orientated.