UPDATE 1-No-deal Brexit would threaten Scotch whisky export growth, say producers

Leaving the EU in March without a deal would pose risks to Scotch whisky’s current healthy rates of export growth, the Scotch Whisky Association said on Tuesday.

It told Reuters it was also concerned about significant increased labelling costs of a no-deal Brexit. It said no-deal would add cost and complexity to UK/EU trade and would mean the loss of trade benefits worth 50 million pounds ($65 million) annually in tariffs.

"Moreover, we have real concerns about the ability of port operators to cope with significant, last-minute changes to export systems, and the risk of disruption at ports is high," the group said in a statement: Scotch whisky is Britain's biggest food and drink export. (Reporting by Elisabeth O'Leary; editing by Stephen Addison)