Scottish salmon feeds one million a day

UK - Scotlands farmed salmon industry declared itself in bullish mood yesterday on the back of unprecedented demand for the product, with a million fresh salmon meals now being eaten in the UK every day.

Figures released by the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation (SSPO) show demand for fresh salmon in the UK has climbed by 13.8 per cent in two years, while smoked salmon consumption has risen by 38.7 per cent in the same period, to almost 60 million portions a year.

Around 95 per cent of the UK's farmed salmon is produced in Scotland, mostly on the west coast, Highlands and the Western Islands. The SSPO claims the industry has created employment for 10,000 people, almost half of those in isolated communities.

Chief executive Sid Patten said recent price corrections caused by increased demand had been a major boost, with farm prices rising by an estimated 40 per cent rise since lows seen in 2003.

"The industry is in good heart," he said. "There are always concerns about price fluctuations, but producers are thinking less about the current conditions than the future of the industry."

Source: The Scotsman