Scottish salmon is the largest UK food export
Yesterday (Thursday 13 February), export figures released from HMRC showed that over 100,000 tonnes of Scottish salmon was exported in 2024 across 48 different international markets. With an export valuation of £844 million, this confirmed Scottish salmon as the biggest food product exported from Scotland and from the whole of the UK.
Background
Salmon Scotland is the trade body representing farmers and the supply chain of Scottish salmon. The Scottish salmon sector is a cornerstone of our rural and marine economy, harvesting over 150,000 tonnes of healthy, nutritious Scottish salmon annually. This makes Scotland the third largest producer of Atlantic salmon globally.
Scottish salmon is consumed both domestically and internationally.
Our sector directly employs over 2,500 people and supporting a further 10,000 in indirect and induced roles. The farmgate value of our salmon production is estimated at over £1.1 billion, contributing in excess of £760 million to the Scottish economy through direct, supply chain, and employment impacts annually. The supply chain impact across employment and economic activity is felt across every constituency in Scotland.
There are around 210 active farms around the west coast, highlands and islands of Scotland. Despite this significant scale, the area of waters farmed is less than half the size of Edinburgh airport. Our farming companies include Mowi Scotland, Bakkafrost Scotland, Scottish Sea Farms, Loch Duart, Cooke Scotland and Organic Sea Harvest. The sector benefits from significant foreign direct investment and includes large, multinational companies as well as supporting local business operations and SMEs across the country.
There are over 3,600 Scottish supply chain companies across the length and breadth of the country. The Highlands and Islands is home to more than 2,300 Scottish businesses with over 1,000 more firms located across lowland and central belt regions. Supply chain and induced benefits contribute over £450 million in terms of GVA annually.
Trade opportunities
Scottish salmon is well set to continue its success in exporting to consumers globally. Improvements can still be applied to create efficiencies and competitiveness. Domestically, there are inefficiencies and delays with planning and infrastructure challenges although it is appreciated that these challenges and opportunities lie with the devolved administration.
Access to markets can improve and the UK government can be instrumental in achieving this. We have experienced positive engagement from Defra, DBT, the Scotland Office and the Home Office across a range of dossiers from both officials and Ministerial offices.
The sector welcomes UK government priority to grow the economy and that removing barriers to trade is a Defra priority.
Access to the European Union
A SPS agreement and freeing up access to the European Union is a key sectoral ask and we welcome the ongoing work related to it. However, it is not in isolation in terms of trade barriers. We still believe that costs, delays and barriers should be minimised and reduced across a range of exporting activities to the EU which could be delivered in advance of a SPS agreement.
We have recently met with the Defra EU Reset and SPS Agreement team where we discussed several aspects of trading with the European Union – which remains the most significant region for our exports in both value and volume terms. We discussed:
- Following Brexit, exporting to the EU went from seamless to onerous, with significant challenges and delays. Despite this, albeit at significant cost, Scottish salmon was one of the first products to arrive in France following the departure from the EU.
- Costs have increased. Delays in getting to market have increased. Support for exporters is challenging, exacerbated by absence of communication channels.
- Divergence is starting to impact trade, efficiency and thus reputation and competitiveness.
- Other barriers to trade which our sector would like to be addressed:
The above would provide mutual benefit to exporters and EU consumers. Exports to the EU for fresh/chilled food products would be much more efficient and with progress, Scottish salmon exports would reach EU consumers in a much shorter timeframe and with longer shelf-life.
Exports beyond the EU
International market development and increasing market access via the reduction of tariffs and removal of checks on iconic UK products such as Scottish salmon (with some of the highest food safety and traceability standards globally) should be prioritised. Scottish salmon is well-placed to supply consumers around the globe with our renowned product which will help develop relationships and continue to build Brand Scotland and the UK’s trading capabilities.
The sector supports and encourages the UK Government to move ahead with trade agreements which will benefit the sector. Examples of this include the UK: India FTA where tariffs and sampling checks are significant barriers; and the GCC where exports of premium Scottish salmon could grow with clearer and fewer border check across the region.
As well as significant, major trade negotiations, we would urge that the export health certificate system for Scottish salmon to become more efficient and effective so that when new customers are found in new markets, they can receive their product without delay. Delivering export health certificates via the UK.GOV central portal in a timely manner would be very welcome progress for the sector.
We have provided a summary of the latest export data for 2024 which was released earlier this week (Thursday 13 February).
February 2025
Source: HMRC UK overseas trade statistics.
UK food exports
CN8 coding (8-digit commodity code food exports) by sales:
February 2025