Salmon a huge booster for UK food exports

BRITISH food exports hit a new record during the first half of 2017 – thanks to an unprecedented demand for salmon.

Salmon exports rose by more than 53 per cent to a value of £408 million, the Food and Drink Fed- eration announced last month. Sales were also helped by the fall in the value of the pound.

The federation said salmon was the second largest commodity export after Scotch whisky. Total UK food and drink exports during the first six months of this year increased by 8.5 per cent to £10.2 billion.

Andy Bing, sales director of Loch Duart Salmon, told BBC News: ‘British salmon is becoming more popular globally. This half we’ve sold more than we ever have.’

The firm’s main export markets were France, the US, Italy, and Switzerland. UK salmon exports have grown after Chilean producers suffered problems in 2015 with algal blooms that killed a large amount of their fish, he said.

He remained optimistic about the eventual post-Brexit trade deals that can be struck with EU countries.

‘Europe needs lovely Scottish salmon just as we need lovely French wine and wonderful German cars,’ he said.

However, he added that Loch Duart was ‘finding it difficult to plan without better guidance’ from the government about Brexit.