Slashing food tariffs will not fix UK’s cost of living crisis, warns farmers’ union

Ministers are debating whether to lower tariffs on foods such as oranges and rice, which are difficult to produce in the UK. Photograph: Maureen McLean/Rex/Shutterstock

Lowering food tariffs will not solve the cost of living crisis and it would be “misleading” to suggest as much to consumers, the president of the farmers’ union said after reports ministers were considering slashing import taxes.

Minette Batters, the president of the National Farmers’ Union (NFU), which represents the interests of 55,000 food producers in England and Wales, said lowering the tariff wall for imported foods “does not even begin to deal with the problem” of soaring grocery prices.