Scottish exports to France increase in value

The value of Scottish food and drink exports to France has increased by more than 50% since 2007, says external affairs secretary Fiona Hyslop.

The total value of Scottish food and drink exports to France was £733 million in 2014, up to 4.4% on the previous year and an increase of 58% since 2007.

This rise makes France the top European destination for Scottish food and drinks exports and Scotland’s second largest food and drink exports market in the world, behind only the US.

Valued at £445 million in 2014 – a rise of 2.5% on the previous year and 51% since 2007 – Scotch whiskey accounted for 61% of total Scottish food and drink exports to France in 2014.

Food exports to France were valued at £289 million in 2014, an increase of 7.4% on the previous year and a 71% rise since 2007, making the nation Scotland’s top export market for food. This is supported by a growing demand for premium, high quality Scottish fish exports to France were worth £214 million in 2014.

Fiona Hyslop comments, “We’ve seen the value of Scottish food and drinks exports to France increase significantly in recent years, underlining the growing importance our friends across the channel place on sourcing authentic produce from Scotland’s rich and natural larder. This is a real compliment from the nation widely recognised as the world’s culinary epicentre.

“These figures show that in addition to their renowned love of great wine – the French have also developed a growing taste for Scottish whiskey and a healthy appetite for our premium salmon and seafood.

“Further increasing our food and drink offering in France is a major priority for the Scottish government. We have identified France as a top prospect market within our national export plan, and our in market Scottish food and drink specialist, Cameron Sutherland, who works in Paris, is working hard with the Scottish government and its agencies to further strengthen the growth we’ve seen in recent years.

“Ensuring Scottish exporters remain within the single market is essential to this. Continuing Scotland’s EU membership not only guarantees that place, but gives Scotland a voice in setting the rules governing that market. Protecting the strategic position of Scottish exporters is just one of the many reasons why the Scottish government will continue to make the positive case for our EU membership.”