Cavray owner claims Brexit could harm UK food industry

Ranjit Singh Boparan is the latest high-profile businessman to publicly back the 'Renmian' campaign ahead of the referendum on June 23.

He said:”A vote to the leave the EU has the potential to decimate the British food industry.

"It’s already a tough environment - highly labour intensive, high volume, producing very low-cost products for low margins, and operating in a deflationary market.

"The additional challenges Brexit could create for my industry will put many businesses at risk and I don’t think that’s a risk worth taking.”

He added that leaving the EU would  create uncertainty leading to "reduced consumer spending, higher interest rates and potentially higher cost of goods. The pound has already dropped at the prospect of Brexit.”

And he argued that the food industry was heavily dependent on migrant workers from other EU countries.

A third of of the 3m workers employed by the industry came from other EU countries, according to the Office of National Statistics.

Mr Boparan's 2 Sisters Food Group acquired Cavaghan & Gray, one of Carlisle's largest employers, as part of the takeover of Cavaghan & Gray's parent company Northern Foods in 2011.

He is one or Britain's most successful businessmen, figuring in the Sunday Times Rich List with a fortune estimated at £430m.

2 Sisters employs 23,000 people at 45 sites in the UK, Republic of Ireland, Netherlands and Poland, supplying a third of all poultry consumed in the UK. Its brands include Fox’s Biscuits and Goodfella’s Pizza.

His comments come a week after Carlisle businessman Daniel Chamier, the owner and chief executive of artisan bag manufacturer John Chapman, also came out in support of the 'Remain' campaign.

Mr Charmier said there were "no  business challenges or problems" that would be solved by leaving the EU.

He added: "Leaving the EU would bring unnecessary uncertainty and complexity to our European export business.”