Fall in stock numbers alarm

SAMW chief warns decline in abattoir throughput poses bigger risk than Brexit

The continued decline in the throughput of cattle at Scottish abattoirs poses a bigger threat to the future of the meat industry than Brexit.

That was the warning from Frank Clark, the president of the Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers (SAMW), who told the association’s annual meeting in Glasgow that the hopes and ambitions for post-Brexit exports would be derailed if the “crippling impact” of falling stock numbers was not addressed.

Mr Clark said that there had been a decade-long decline of around 100,000 cattle a year through Scottish abattoirs, which was equivalent to the annual processing capacity of the country’s largest meat plant or two or three mediumsized abattoirs.

“Over the last 10 years Scottish beef prices have been some of the highest in the world, which indicates that it’s not all about price, so we need a far bigger discussion with farmers, processors, retailers, levy bodies and government to find out how we can stop this,” he said.

“We need to find out what farmers need because ultimately they are the source of our raw material.”

Mr Clark went on to suggest that throughput could be increased if the farming industry improved husbandry standards.

“Perhaps that means farmers becoming more efficient and effective at keeping the calves which are born alive and productive, rather than accepting losses to disease and illness which could be avoided,” he said.

“Perhaps that means our part of the chain becoming more efficient and effective at what we do, with the retail end of the process committing a greater share of their profits to product purchases.

“Perhaps that means government finding the resources to properly fund the whole red meat supply chain in such a way that the post-Brexit export successes we’ve been promised become a governmentdriven reality rather than an industry-based responsibility.”

Mr Clark said he was optimistic about the postBrexit future and SAMW members were not worried that they were about to enter a more competitive global marketplace than they have been in for the last 45 years.

He added: “On the contrary, we believe we can gain more than we lose, export more than we import, and grow as an industry. But it won’t just happen – what we need now is certainty.

“Without that certainty we will find ourselves fighting for market share at home and abroad without the resources we need and without a fair and equal chance of success.”

WARNING: There has been a decade-long decline of around 100,000 cattle a year through Scottish abattoirs