THE Executive Director of one of Fermanagh’s leading businesses said they may be forced to “review” their exports to the US as fears grow that tariffs could have a major impact locally.

Belleek Pottery annually exports over £2 million worth of products to America, but since President Donald Trump reported a 10-per-cent tariffs on UK goods to the US, fears have been mounting.

Hopes were high that the UK-US trade deal might benefit businesses affected, but after the details have emerged, it’s going to have no impact on the exports from Belleek Pottery to the US.

“It won’t help us,” Belleek Pottery’s Executive Director, Martin Sharkey, explained.

“They’re talking about aluminium and steel, but the rest of the duties are going to stay at 10-per-cent. It’s not going to affect us at all, only those couple of special ones that Britain are relying on like car parts, aluminium and steel, but everything else stays with the 10-per-cent duty.”

Mr Sharkey has said that the border business may be forced to make some hard decisions over their exports to the States, as they try to figure out the best way to deal with the new tariffs.

“We’re sucking it up and seeing what’s going to happen over the next few weeks. If it doesn’t come off in the next three or four months, we’ll have to review what we’re going to do,” Mr Sharkey said.

The announcement from the US President came at a challenging time for local businesses who have been grappling with the recent increase in employers’ National Insurance Contributions.

Mr Sharkey recognises that many businesses and firms in Fermanagh are feeling the strain.

“With employers NIC [National Insurance Contributions] we’re paying £750 for every employee that we have. That’s around £75,000 that we’re going to be paying,” said the Executive Director.

“The rates bills are out and they’re up four or five-per cent. The electricity has gone way up too.

“Everybody has had a big hit with National Insurance. You just have to keep on going because it’s business. If it’s not Covid, it’s something else, so God knows what else is coming down the line.”

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