2023: A Banner Year for Scottish Salmon and Scotch Whisky Exports

by XPRESS, 19 February 2024

Scotland's most prized food exports, Scottish salmon and Scotch whisky, reported impressive numbers for the year 2023

The sales of nutritious Scottish salmon reached an astounding £581 million, a slight increase of 0.5 per cent over the previous year.

This equated to around £1.6 million daily sales, maintaining Scotland's position as the UK's leading food export.

France continued to be the top market for global demand, while the United States and Asian countries witnessed significant expansion in response to the increasing preference for high-end Scottish salmon

among culinary professionals,

food establishments, and consumers.

In a separate development, Scotch whisky exports reached an impressive £5.6 billion in 2023.

Although this figure marked a decrease from the previous record-breaking year, it exceeded pre-pandemic levels, highlighting the sector's resilience.

The Asia-Pacific region's expansion in global Scotch whisky consumption remained significant, as China witnessed a remarkable 165% increase in exports from the previous year.

Despite a 9% decrease in Scotch whisky exports to the US, it still held the mantle as the largest market by value.

In the context of US-UK negotiations, industry professionals are advocating for extended tariff elimination, which could potentially fuel considerable sales expansion and heightened competitiveness.

Both industries, however, are grappling with various challenges.

The Scottish salmon sector is dealing with increased regulatory costs and delays due to Brexit and the UK's economic downturn.

Meanwhile, the slower pace of reform in Scotland adds to the hurdles faced by farming companies.

"Scotch whisky has once again shown its export strength despite significant challenges across a volatile global trading environment." - Mark Kent

The Scotch whisky industry is advocating for the removal of whisky trade tariffs during US/UK negotiations, as they add significant costs and hinder export growth.