Beef and lamb exports from Scotland exceed £80m
The value of exports of beef and lamb from Scotland has increased to over £80 million in the past year, up by 9% in value, according to the results of the annual exporters’ survey conducted by Quality Meat Scotland (QMS).
Speaking at food trade show Anuga, in Cologne, QMS’s chairman, Jim McLaren, revealed that Scotland’s exports of red meat increased by 4.3% by volume in the year ending August 2017.
Pictured (L-R): Alan Clarke, chief executive, QMS, and Jim McLaren, chairman, QMS.
McLaren highlighted that the figures should send a “positive signal to Scottish exporters and those working in the wider red meat industry in Scotland”, adding: “We continue to focus on strengthening our relationships with our much-valued, long-established overseas customers who recognise all that sets our beef and lamb apart – from our quality assurance and animal welfare to our sustainability message.
“We will also continue to seek out and welcome new export opportunities.”
The figures have revealed that the greatest volume of sales of beef and lamb from Scotland, at almost 89%, was the result of trade with other EU countries.
However, the biggest driver for growth was in exports to third countries, with “strong examples of this” being, according to McLaren, were Hong Kong, Macau and Singapore, where four Scottish companies have been exporting during the past year.
Within the EU, the biggest markets for beef from Scotland were France and Italy, while looking at the countries that pay the greatest premium, Belgium tops the list in the EU, with Norway and Switzerland paying the most outside the EU.
In addition, looking only at beef from Scotland, the value of exports increased by over12% year-on-year, with a 3.4% volume increase, which according to QMS is a “clear indication of the influence of currency”.
The biggest increase in export trade of beef from Scotland was to Germany and the Nordics which have increased by 53% and 46% respectively.
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