October 13, 2015

 

Export market crucial for Scotland's red meat sector: QMS

 

 

Scotland's red meat exporters, who are attending one of the world's largest food fairs in Germany, seemed unanimous of the view that the export market remains a very important opportunity for Scotland, according to Quality Meat Scotland (QMS).

 

Speaking at Anuga in Cologne, Germany, Jim McLaren, the chairman of QMS, revealed that despite the ongoing challenges of the global economy, including the influence of exchange rates, Scotland's exports of red meat have held steady during the past year.

 

A QMS annual survey of Scottish red meat exporters has revealed a 4.3% increase in the total red meat exported from Scotland for the year ending September 2015 to approximately US$117.3 million (excluding fifth quarter value).

 

Beef represented 55% of the total red meat exported from Scotland, with lamb accounting for 45%.

 

McLaren said that it is vital that the Scottish industry continues to meet the demands of overseas markets for high quality produce. However, he also drew attention to the importance of export markets in terms of optimising returns for the entire carcase.

 

"While there is demand from overseas customers for the very top end of quality products from Scotland, there is also encouraging volume demand from overseas markets for fifth quarter and lower value products. This is good news in terms of optimising returns for the whole carcase," McLaren added.

 

The steady demand for Scottish products overseas should send out a positive signal to livestock producers for the long-term, he said.

 

QMS's export strategy in recent years has focused on developing opportunities in Germany and the Nordics, along with the existing well-established target markets of France, Italy and the Benelux.

 

Feedback from key Scottish processors involved in exports, who provide information to QMS on a voluntary basis, reveals that France is still the main importer of red meat from Scotland, accounting for US$57.4 million of total exports.

 

The other main countries importing from Scotland are Belgium (US$16.1 million) and the Netherlands (US$16 million).

 

The total value of red meat exports to Italy is US$13.5 million (up by 8% year-on-year) and the Nordics (Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden) account for the same value of total exports.

 

Around US$4.75 million of red meat from Scotland is exported to Germany, Austria and Switzerland, with third countries and regions (Hong Kong, Singapore, South Africa and North America) accounting for a total of US$2.1 million.