Views from the producers


policies and specifically to the planned growth in value of Scottish food exports. Perhaps not unex-


pectedly the report highlights Scottish quality, standards and provenance as key considerations, as well as the need to target growth initiatives into the global markets offering the greatest opportunities.


Some collective


industry thinking on these topics is also nicely captured in Tomorrow the World: an Export Plan for Scot- land’s Food and Drink Industry, recently pub- lished by the Scotland Food & Drink Export Partnership, represent- ing collaboration under the umbrella of the Scotland Food & Drink organisation.


Scottish salmon is one of the exemplars of what can be achieved


Iran and Turkey. Turk- ish trout production is currently under investigation by the EU authorities both on grounds of an anti- dumping enquiry and also an anti-subsidy enquiry. The alleged impact of subsidised Turkish produce on the EU trout market is, should the appeal be upheld by DG Trade, of concern to us all and we will en- sure UK trout farmers are given due repre- sentation at national and EU level. Aquaculture, like


policy with respect to ‘wild’ Pacific oysters in Scotland, and in order to do so it must have a better understanding of the scale or even existence of self-sus- taining settlements around the coast. To that end, a sample survey is planned at a


all farming, can be high risk but we are heartened that the extreme weather witnessed earlier this year appears to be improving. BTA congratulates DEFRA for its swift delivery of various Flood Support Schemes and for their extension of eligibility criteria to fish farming. We encourage those affected by flooding to remember this offer of support, noting the deadline for applica- tions for certain funds is early May. There is a certain


number of locations on both the west and east coasts. SNH was, however, not repre- sented at the start-up meeting. Nick Turnbull is hosting the survey team and a SNH staff member at his farm site on Mull at the end of March to give


This analysis identi-


fies 15 ‘top prospect’ markets, six ‘second tier’ but significant markets and two ‘watch and wait’ emerging markets, worldwide. It also strategically positions Scottish food products as being targeted at the premium quality export market – not necessarily niche but certainly not in the commodity category. As always, Scotch


whisky, with its enor- mous global reach, and Scottish farmed salm- on are the exemplar


irony that another deadline was marked at the end of March with the closing of the DEFRA-led consultation on Water Abstraction. Here too,


products of what can be achieved. However, there are also many excellent products in other sectors which can contribute significantly to increas- ing Scottish food and drink exports. The export progress


The Scottish presence at Boston


to date has been im- pressive. Scottish food and drink exports rose from £3.7bn to £5.3bn between 2007 and 2012: and the present target of £7.1bn by 2017 looks eminently achievable. However, growing


and developing export


we are encouraged that one of the key principles for charging for water abstrac- tion will be on water usage – and that high volume but non-con-


markets depends crucially on creat- ing a global presence and awareness of the best that Scotland can produce – building on the synergy between sectors to help brand Scotland as a ‘land of


sumptive abstraction licence holders will be taken into considera- tion. Access to a con- stant supply of water is going to become more of an issue for flow-through farm sites as time goes on, and we remain alert to this. Certification is an


Turkish trout: dumped on the EU market?


practical help in the identification and ways of the oyster. We await SAMS’s findings with great interest. The ASSG will be at


Aquaculture 2014 in Aviemore this year – do come and meet us and our new CEO at stand 26. FF


Sources of seed for


both oyster species and mussels are proving unreliable


Gigas oysters have gone feral in Scottish waters www.fishfarmer-magazine.com 13


increasing presence in modern fish farming and we continue to see new initiatives in our sector. The Qual- ity Trout UK Scheme has commenced discussions with GlobalGap as to the


food and drink’. In this, the impor-


tance of events like the Boston show cannot be underesti- mated. They provide our exports with a vitally important shop window. FF


potential for collabo- ration and ensuring efficiencies in the au- diting process, whilst we are also witnessing BTA member sites be- ing audited against the new RSPCA Freedom Foods Trout Stand- ard. With so many standards appearing, the QTUK standard is also proactively engag- ing with the GSSI initiative, in order to demonstrate transpar- ency and continuing best practice in trout farming to as wide an


audience as possible. FF


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