Food and drink producers from across Tayside are among those awarded a share of more than £4 million in grants.
The cash awards were announced by rural affairs and environment secretary Richard Lochhead on the opening day of the Royal Highland Show at Ingliston and aim to help the industry build upon recent successes.
According to figures released by the Scottish Government, sales of Scottish food and drink are soaring on shop shelves across Scotland, England and Wales.
The cash from the Food Processing, Marketing and Co-Operative (FPMC) Scheme will fund 29 projects in a bid to enhance innovation and further improve Scottish products.
Among the grant recipients were four from Tayside who together received more than £800,000.
The largest recipient was Dundee Cold Stores Ltd which received a grant of £587,960, while there were awards of £78,768 to Thomas Thomson of Blairgowrie, which supplies fresh fruit to retailers and the catering industry, and £44,400 to the Rannoch Smokery at Pitlochry, a meat and game smoker supplying local businesses.
Mackays of Arbroath, a producer of preserves, marmalades, curds and chocolates, received £114,968.
Thomas Thomson’s managing director Peter Thomson said the funding would help the firm to revolutionise its blueberry production.
“Soft fruit is not hugely profitable and so we really do need these grants to help us innovate,” Mr Thomson said.
“The funding will help us to produce, store and pack more blueberries at the time the market most wants them.
“It’s an exciting project and we are very happy to have secured this government funding to support it.”
Mr Thomson said the project would cost in the region of £350,000.
Retail sales of Scottish food and drink brands across Scotland, England and Wales have increased by 30% during the past three years, increasing the value of sales by £425 million.
In Scotland, sales of Scottish food and drink brands increased 22% over the same period (May 2007-May 2010), demonstrating the country’s strength as a food and drink retailer in a highly competitive market.Hard timesAnnouncing the funding, Mr Lochhead said, “Scotland’s reputation as a producer of high quality food and drink can sustain the industry during hard times.
“As the government, we will continue to support our rural industries in whatever way we can and build on the principles of Recipe for Success the next steps in our national food and drink policy.
“One such way is providing financial support.
“For example, grants totalling £4.2 million announced today will fund 29 projects to enhance innovation and to improve Scottish products.
“The FPMC grants scheme has already allocated almost £20 million since it was set up, safeguarding more than 3000 jobs, to the great benefit of our rural sector.
“Whether you grow, make, buy or sell Scottish food and drink there is a great opportunity still to make Scotland healthier, wealthier and more environmentally sustainable.
“We are building on the work of previous years and laying the foundations for future success.”
The FPMC scheme is open to anyone involved in the production chain, such as primary producers, processors, retailers and food service operators.
It also supports involvement with scientific research or academic institutions.