Official statistics released by the UK Government show that sales of salmon overseas increased by 22 per cent in 2019. The tonnage exported also increased by 26 per cent, reaching over 94,000 tonnes.
France, USA, and China were the top three markets of a total of 54 countries which imported Scottish salmon. For the third year running, France emerged as the largest market for Scottish salmon with sales worth £221 million, followed by USA (£179 million), and China (£59 million).
The EU accounted for 56 per cent of the volume of global Scottish salmon exports and 52 per cent of the value.
Outside the EU, the USA remained Scottish salmon’s largest market. Worth £179 million in 2019, USA’s growth in value and volume of 28 per cent year on year resulted in exports of 25,000 tonnes.
In total, 17 of the top 20 export markets showed positive growth in 2019.
While there was a decline in exports to China of 11 percent in volume, this was offset by growth elsewhere in Asia to the likes of Taiwan and Japan resulting in almost £97 million worth of Scottish salmon exported to the region.
Julie Hesketh-Laird, chief executive of the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation (SSPO), said: “These figures demonstrate just what an extraordinary success Scottish salmon is.
“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.
“Salmon’s continued export success sustains more than 2,300 jobs in Scotland, mostly in sparsely populated rural areas.
“This success has led to substantial sums being re-invested into local communities, providing much-needed employment and economic support.”
Fergus Ewing, Scotland’s Rural Economy Secretary, said: “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.
“I’m confident that the Scottish Government and industry will continue to work together to unlock further sustainable growth of this vital sector.”
