Salmon is the most popular seafood among British consumers with sales of fresh salmon reaching £762.8 million over 12 months. This news comes as exports of salmon grew by 2,000 tonnes in the first quarter of the year, generating an extra £15 million of sales for Scottish farmers.
Full traceability, high quality produce and responsible production are what makes Scottish salmon so popular in over 60 markets, along with delicious flavours and firm texture. It is Scotland’s number one food export and was voted ‘best farmed salmon in the world’ for a second consecutive time in a poll of international seafood buyers.
These attributes are motivating sophisticated restaurants at home and abroad to use Scottish salmon to draw customers, old and new, to sample this fine cuisine.
Scott Landsburgh, chief executive of Scottish Salmon Producers’ Organisation (SSPO) said:“Scottish salmon has top billing at many premium restaurants around the world. You only have to look at menus to see many fine hotels and dining rooms boasting it as the special of the day.
“Top chefs who serve the most refined diners demand quality ingredients. Seeing so many put their names next to Scottish salmon is a welcome endorsement, and that’s down to the achievements of the producers who deliver excellent fish on time, every time.
“It’s been challenging putting in place a whole supply chain from growing the fish, harvesting, processing right through to delivery to the final customer, but our producers have nailed it. Shipping from some of the tiniest communities, in some of the remotest parts of Scotland, to massive trading hubs in Paris, New York and Singapore, producers have developed logistical supply chains to deliver customer orders no matter what.”
This news comes as the SSPO launches its sponsorship for Royal Highland Show Chairman’s lunch (Friday 24 June), where industry representatives will inform Scotland’s influencers and decision makers just how much the Scottish salmon industry continues to provide economic and social benefits for Scotland.
Mr Landsburgh continued:“For many years, companies have shared this success with local communities, contributing both financially and in-kind. Industry continues to provide secure employment and training opportunities to over 2000 people, many of whom live in remote rural locations where sustainable employment is difficult to find. Salmon farmers continually invest in capital expenditure and research (*Enter area specific information found below). This has a knock-on effect for local firms generating new business for hotels, engineering firms and other supporting services. By sharing these examples, we can build support for our growth strategy where producers continue to grow sustainably and responsibly, while delivering many social and economic benefits for communities in Scotland”.
