Comments made by the First Minister about having to justify spending money on farmers to people in Cardiff have been branded as “disrespectful” and “astonishing” by political opponents.

Mark Drakeford last week urged farmers to “do things that taxpayers are willing to invest in” to keep receiving subsidies and that he would have to justify any spend on farming to “Bangladeshi taxi drivers” in Cardiff.

He told the BBC: “If you wish to take advantage of that money, if you want to have help from the Welsh taxpayer, then you will have to find a way of bringing yourself within the scheme that allows me, as the First Minister, to justify to Bangladeshi taxi drivers in Riverside, where I live, why they should pay their taxes in order to support farmers in Wales.”

Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader and Mid & West Wales Senedd Member Jane Dodds said the comments demonstrated a “lack of understanding” from the First Minister.

“The First Minister’s comments today are disrespectful to the farming community and show a lack of understanding from Welsh Labour of both rural communities and the work farmers do to put food on our plates,” said Ms Dodds.

“Food security is vital to Wales, especially given the impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and rising food poverty in Wales.

“Farming is also vital to the Welsh economy, supporting a whole chain of other businesses in the rural economy in particular.”

Welsh Conservative and Shadow Rural Affairs Minister Samuel Kurtz MS said he found it “astonishing’” that the First Minister made the comments on Royal Welsh Show week “to demonstrate a level of disregard for our farming community.”

“Not only is agriculture a pillar of the Welsh economy, it is the lifeblood of communities up and down the country, playing a central role in our culture and preserving the Welsh language,” said Mr Kurst.

“Welsh farmers contribute significantly to Wales’ economy, as the bedrock of our £7 billion food and drink industry as primary producers, and as the cornerstone of the wider rural economy.

“So, when Mark Drakeford said farmers should do something that taxpayers are willing to invest in, I would simply say that without them, our food and drink industry and rural economy would suffer immense damage.

“I have long said farming needs a friend, and it seems Labour are making it very clear it does not want to be that friend. The Welsh Conservatives will always stand by the farmers of Wales.”

In the wake of the comments made by the First Minister, National Farmers Union Cymru has sought to re-emphasise the value of Welsh farming and the benefits it delivers to society, saying that they believe farming subsidies represent “exceptional value” for the people of Wales.

NFU Cymru Deputy President Abi Reader said: “Public funds provided to Welsh agriculture should be viewed as an investment. For less than two per cent of the overall Welsh Government budget, support for farming enables farmers to deliver a range of services. Welsh farmers care for and manage 80 per cent of the land in Wales, managing landscapes that attract millions of tourists every year.

“We enhance the environment on our farms, boost biodiversity and provide habitats for nature. The sector underpins the £8billion Welsh food and drink industry, which is Wales’ largest employer with over 230,000 people linked to roles in the sector.

“Every £1 of public money invested in agriculture delivers a return of over £7 to the economy of Wales.”

Ms Reader added that the sector is “not resistant to change” but said that any changes must not hold back farmers from producing food.

“Ongoing challenges have highlighted the resilience and versatility of farming businesses, while the sector is constantly striving to adapt and innovate to maximise efficiency and reduce its footprint,” she said. “We need to ensure that these changes do not inhibit our farmers from producing food, not least when the reality of global food scarcity has been starkly highlighted in recent months.”

Ms Reader added: “As Welsh Government embarks on its own agricultural policy and a future bill in the Senedd, we need a policy to deliver high quality, affordable food, alongside delivering for nature and climate change.

“It is imperative that new schemes work for every farmer, in every sector, in every area of Wales.

“It has been a fantastic week with the return of the Royal Welsh Show attracting people from every corner of Wales. It has been great to see people unite in this unique celebration of what agriculture delivers in Wales, which of course will likely be replicated during the summer with the return of county and local shows throughout the country.

“Our ongoing survey work with Welsh consumers continues to highlight that Welsh farming is highly valued by the general public and engagement events, such as Open Farm Sunday, demonstrate the healthy appetite that the public has in learning about the work taking place on our farms.

“We believe all these factors highlight that the public recognise the many benefits delivered by Welsh farming and the exceptional value the sector delivers to every person living in Wales.”