Scottish salmon achieved a new record high export value of GBP 844 million (USD 1.1 billion, EUR 1 billion) in 2024, according to new figures published by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), eclipsing its previous best export value of GBP 618 million (USD 777.9 million, EUR 746.5 million) that the industry set in 2019.
Scottish salmon achieved this record through a 45 percent increase in international sales year over year, including a 60 percent rise in sales to Asia, according to HMRC data.
With sales registered across 48 countries in 2024, Scottish salmon again outperformed other popular U.K. products like beef, lamb, and cheese to be the country’s top food export.
In volume terms, last year’s international sales of Scottish salmon amounted to 101,466 metric tons (MT) – a rise of 59 percent, or 37,452 MT.
Broken down by market, France continued to be the main destination for Scottish salmon – accounting for 55 percent of overall sales by value, followed by the United States and China.
France sourced 59,877 MT of the product worth GBP 462 million (USD 581.5 million, EUR 558 million), which were spikes of 87 and 70 percent, respectively.
Exports to the U.S. totaled 24,410 MT – up 85 percent – worth GBP 225 million (USD 283.2 million, EUR 271.8 million) – up 61 percent year over year.
China bought 8,175 MT, marking a 107 percent increase, worth GBP 76 million (USD 95.7 million, EUR 91.8 million, which was a 60 percent spike by value.
Scotland Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said the figures demonstrated surging global demand for Scottish salmon.
Recognizing the importance of the farmed salmon sector to the country’s economy, as well as the well-paid, high-skilled jobs it offers rural and island communities, Forbes added that the Scottish government is “fully committed” to working with the industry to aid sector growth in overseas markets while solidifying its status in domestic markets.
“In doing so, we will continue to drive sustainable growth, which will have significant economic benefits,” she said.
Scotland Office Minister Kirsty McNeill echoed Forbes, saying that salmon is “the jewel in the crown of Scotland’s world-class produce” and highlighting that a key part of the U.K. government’s “Brand Scotland” initiative of promoting Scottish products to markets around the globe is the salmon industry.
“Scottish salmon, and our support for the sector, is an important part of that,” she said. “It’s a vital element of our ‘Plan for Change’ to drive economic growth and put more money in people’s pockets right across the U.K.”
Salmon Scotland CEO Tavish Scott said the record exports demonstrate an increasing global demand for Scottish salmon and that it is increasingly being sought by discerning consumers.
He also said producers have invested hundreds of millions of pounds to further boost welfare standards, with the latest survival rates confirming they reached a four-year high of 82.3 percent in 2024.
Mortality levels have been a point of contention between the Scottish salmon-farming industry and the government, with the latter entity recently calling for an inquiry into fish deaths across the country.
Scott pushed back against the inquiry, saying there was a lack of balance applied in evaluating survival rates.
“Comparisons were, and are, regularly made with other livestock sectors, without acknowledging the clear biological differences between fish and land animals – differences that mean direct comparisons are in no way appropriate,” Scott said. “We would also note that we are the only U.K. animal production sector to publish detailed survival statistics. It is, therefore, difficult to understand how meaningful comparisons can be made to other sectors when such data is not available.”
