NFU Cymru leaders have met with the Welsh Government to discuss concerns over the availability and cost of key inputs for Welsh farms amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

The meeting, held on Tuesday, April 7 with Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Huw Irranca-Davies MS, was attended by NFU Cymru President Abi Reader and Deputy President Paul Williams. They highlighted information collected from union members across Wales, revealing significant disruption in the market, particularly regarding fuel and fertiliser.

They stressed that food production in Wales operates on long cycles, with some sectors planning months or even years ahead. While many farms are managing in the short term, they warned that the full impact of the conflict may only become apparent in the coming weeks and months.

The NFU Cymru leaders also raised concerns about cashflow, with costs for fuel and fertiliser coinciding with the end of a costly winter period. The Deputy First Minister and his team reassured the union that they are aware of the issues and are in regular contact with the UK Government and other devolved administrations.

“We are grateful to the Deputy First Minister for meeting with us today to discuss a real range of challenges facing Welsh farmers brought on by the war in the Middle East,” said Ms Reader.

“It was important that we were able to talk through the impacts sector by sector so that we could give the Deputy First Minister a full picture as to how different parts of the industry are being affected. We stressed the importance of Welsh Government actively modelling the impact of the disruption on food production and the need for government to closely and actively monitor input markets to give confidence that they are operating transparently.”