UK: Value of Scotland's red meat exports reach over £100 million for first time

Results from an annual export survey reveal a remarkable rise in the total value of Scotland’s red meat and offal sold outside the UK - rising to £137m this year. Previous surveys have never recorded a value above £100m and, while some of this growth will reflect price inflation, it also points to a greater focus on exports across Scotland’s red meat processing sector. The survey, conducted annually by Quality Meat Scotland (QMS), also highlights that Scotland serviced twelve different non-EU markets. Switzerland remained a key outlet for high-value cuts of beef and lamb, while the majority of non-European countries primarily purchased fifth-quarter by-products such as beef tongue and lamb liver. Notably, multiple companies successfully shipped beef to Hong Kong, which tended to be at the lower end of the value scale, underpinning carcase balance. However, exporters are clearly taking advantage of tight EU beef and lamb markets, where demand for premium products is strong but ...