Exports of Scottish salmon reached their highest ever value in 2019, finds new statistics released by U.K. government’s HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).
In total, overseas sales of Scottish salmon increased 22 percent on the previous year to GBP 618 million (USD 802.3 million, EUR 735.1 million). Meanwhile, the volume of salmon exported increased by 26 percent to more than 94,000 metric tons (MT).
France, the United States and China provided the sector’s top three markets with sales worth GBP 221 million (USD 286.9 million, EUR 262.9 million), GBP 179 million (USD 232.4 million, EUR 212.9 million), and GBP 59 million (USD 76.6 million, EUR 70.2 million), respectively.
The E.U. accounted for 56 percent of the volume of global Scottish salmon exports and 52 percent of the value, while the U.S. trade’s growth in value and volume of 28 percent resulted in exports of 25,000 MT to the market.
The figures also found that the volume of Scottish salmon shipped to China was down 11 percent year-on-year, but that this was offset by increased exports going to other Asian market like Taiwan and Japan. Almost GBP 97 million (USD 125.9 million, EUR 115.4 million) worth of product went to the region in 2019.
Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation (SSPO) Chief Executive Julie Hesketh-Laird said the figures demonstrated the extraordinary success of Scottish salmon.
“Such record-breaking performance is hugely encouraging and reflects the excellent reputation which Scottish salmon has in international markets. Scottish salmon’s good environmental story with its small carbon footprint and low water use plus global recognition of its taste, quality, and provenance is clearly understood in almost every corner of the globe,” she said. “These latest export successes represent a trailblazer for other Scottish food overseas and provide a further reminder of the importance of salmon, both to the Scottish economy and to the food and drink sector.”
Scottish Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing also welcomed the export figures.
“The need to explore and take advantage of international markets could not be clearer given the current uncertainty around our future trading relationship with Europe. This is an important time for the Scottish farmed salmon sector which contributes significantly to the rural economy, supporting families and livelihoods in some of our most fragile communities,” Ewing said. “I’m confident that the Scottish government and industry will continue to work together to unlock further sustainable growth of this vital sector.”
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