A modest 4% increase in red meat exports from Scotland in the past 12 months has been welcomed by Quality Meat Scotland chairman Jim McLaren.
He said while it was good to see exports rise to £81.4 million last year compared with £78m in the previous 12 months, some of the rise was down to price increases, leaving only a part due to increased volume of sales.
“We have to get the balance right between exports and the home market,” he said on the QMS stand at the massive food fair at Sial, where nine Scottish-based meat companies are meeting their customers.
Mr McLaren was keen to stress the positive message for producers from the export figure was that red meat produced in Scotland was in demand abroad.
The demand was not just for the top quality meat but also for lesser value cuts.
“Whilst there is a demand from overseas customers for the very top end of quality products from Scotland there is encouraging volume demand from overseas markets for fifth-quarter and lower value products. This is good news in terms of optimising returns for the whole carcase.”
Laurent Vernet, head of marketing at QMS, said the Continental market was becoming far more sophisticated, with buyers being more precise in their demands.
This development was beneficial to Scotland as exporters catering for those demands much better than many of their competitors.
France remains the main market for red meat from Scotland, taking almost half of the overall total.
Belgium and the Netherlands account for another quarter, with Italy at 1% and the Nordic countries at 6%.
Three years have passed since the Scandinavian countries were targeted by QMS as a potential market for Scotch Beef and Lamb, and the latest figures have confirmed the success of that policy.
Mr McLaren said one market that could take Scotch meat provided current trade and health barriers were removed was Japan. There are some 40 countries at Sial selling meat, and the Japanese are making their first appearance at the exhibition with highly priced Wagyu beef.
“I am sure Scottish beef would be in demand. They are used to paying a high price for red meat, and if we could get the trade barriers down I am sure our beef would sell,” he said.
QMS hosted visits from Scottish Rural Affairs Minister Richard Lochhead and UK Environment Minister Liz Truss.