The new October deadline for Britain's exit from the EU did little to console the Scottish agricultural leaders, who called for emergency talks yesterday April 11 to prepare for the worst possible Brexit outcome.

Representatives of the farming sectors spent the day meeting with the Scottish government, asking for short-term support in the absence of a Brexit deal.

The Scottish sheep industry is most vulnerable to economic repercussions if the UK leaves the European Union without a deal that provides free and free trade, and leaders insist that measures should be taken to support this sector.

The UK is the third largest exporter of sheep meat in the world, supplying the EU with more than 80,000 tons per year, and in the absence of a deal, Europe will apply a tariff of 48% for sheep meat from the UK, the cost of which will exceed € 150 million per year if the export continues.

It is widely believed that such a level of tariffs will make exports uncompetitive and lead to an overflow of the UK market. Subsequent damage to the income of sheep farmers will have an indirect effect on other agricultural sectors.

Following a meeting with representatives of the Scottish government, President of the Scottish National Farmers Union, Andrew McCornick, said it was decided that emergency measures would be needed to support the sheep sector if Brexit took place without a deal.