Farmers to benefit from road haulage equivalency?

Tue, 16 May 2023

Farmers and other food producers in the Island may soon be able to take advantage of more competitive routes to market for their produce.

The Agriculture Minister Clare Barber told Energy FM that she is working on a "Road Haulage Equivalency Scheme" with the Enterprise Minister Tim Johnston.

'Road Haulage Equivalency" is a rate for shipping freight via sea, but at 'road equivalent rates' and be would be similar to a scheme available to Scottish farmers.

(Clip of Clare Barber MHK - Audio below)

Some Manx farmers are currently paying around £5000 to export a trailer on the State-owned Steam Packet, where a road haulage equivalent fare would be around a quarter of that and some rates possibly as low as £300-£400.

Local farmer, and President of the Manx National Farmers Union, Ean Parsons, says that Road Haulage Equivalency will be a game changer for many exporters.

(Clip of Ean Parsons - Audio below)

You can find out more and see Clare Barber's and Ean Parson's interviews in the special documentary below.

 

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Media

• Ean Parsons on Road Haulage Scheme

• Clare Barber MHK on Road Haulage Scheme

Videos

• Energy FM's Agriculture Documentary

  Road Haulage Equivalency features in Energy FM's commissioned documentary about the current state of Manx Farming.