December 02, 2003

Reopen of Beef Export From Scotland Driven By Europe's Demand
 

Beef from Scotland is wanted in continental Europe and a greater effort is needed to re-open the export market, according to a leading figure in the Italian meat trade.

It has been closed for almost seven years following the BSE crisis and the admission that there might be a link between the cattle disease and variant CJD (Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease) in the human population. Prior to closure, Scotland enjoyed a premium export trade worth £120 million annually. It may take time to regain that level of trading, but the opportunities are there.

For the past ten years, Giacinto Fusetti has made an annual pilgrimage to the Scottish Premier Meat Exhibition, which was held on Saturday at the Scotbeef plant in Bridge of Allan, even although he and his colleagues cannot import any Scotch beef.

He said: "It's been a wonderful show of beef. The good news is that in Italy consumption is increasing and imports are rising. But we really need Scotch beef back in Italy. It has a wonderful quality and a great brand image. Tell your politicians to get the market between Scotland and Italy open again as soon as possible."

Fusetti believes that there would be little opposition in EU to beef from the UK, and particularly Scotland, being exported once more.

Meanwhile, Marks & Spencer, which sponsors the Scottish National Premier Meat Exhibition, is keen to source still more Aberdeen-Angus beef from Scotland.
 

David Gregory, the head of food technology, told around 300 exhibitors: "We are happy to sponsor Angus beef classes at agricultural shows around the country. Now we have decided to augment that with a new initiative - the Marks & Spencer Triple A Beef Award."

The award, to be launched next spring, will be a live and deadweight competition with a four-figure prize on offer.

However, it was a Belgian Blue cross heifer from James Wylie of Knockhouse, Dunfermline, which won the supreme award on Saturday. The champion lamb was a Beltex cross from Andrew Morton, of Lochend, Denny.