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Scotland has misplaced as much as £100mn a 12 months in salmon exports to the EU due to pink tape and elevated prices related to Brexit, in response to knowledge from commerce physique Salmon Scotland.
The amount of Scottish salmon exports to the EU final 12 months dropped 17 per cent to 44,000 tonnes from 53,000 tonnes in 2019. The export worth fell 3 per cent to £356mn as a result of robust international demand raised costs.
However Salmon Scotland mentioned gross sales of the fish, the UK’s largest meals export, would have reached £430mn final 12 months if volumes had been sustained at 2019 ranges. That equates to about £75mn-£100mn lower than would have been anticipated on progress charges recorded earlier than leaving the EU, the commerce physique mentioned.
“Brexit pink tape continues to carry again the potential of Scottish exports, regardless of the onerous work and funding put in by farmers to deal with the problems,” mentioned Salmon Scotland chief govt Tavish Scott. “We’d like the following UK authorities — no matter formation it’s — to ease the burden on exporters.”
His feedback got here forward of a Scottish parliamentary inquiry on Thursday into the EU-UK Commerce and Cooperation Settlement, when MSPs are scheduled to take proof from agricultural commerce our bodies.
“We totally recognise the significance of Scottish salmon to the UK economic system and are dedicated to supporting the sector,” the Division for Atmosphere, Meals and Rural Affairs mentioned.
Scott mentioned the salmon sector was in search of a veterinary settlement between the UK and EU to align sanitary and phytosanitary rules and strengthen provide chains on either side of the Channel.
The UK is just not in search of a veterinary settlement with the EU, Defra mentioned, including it was open to steps to scale back commerce friction however not by means of future alignment with EU guidelines that “would compromise UK sovereignty”.
Different points cited by Salmon Scotland embody paperwork inflicting delays to consignments, border controls that may subsequent month carry new import necessities for the feed sector, and an outdated system for well being export certificates that’s costing salmon farmers £3mn a 12 months.
Defra mentioned it was constructing a digital service for such certificates to scale back prices.
The financial profit to Scotland’s maritime economic system from salmon manufacturing is second solely to grease and fuel. Worldwide gross sales of the fish final 12 months rose 0.5 per cent to £581mn, with gross sales to Asia leaping 22 per cent and to the US by 7 per cent.
Whereas France stays Scotland’s largest abroad marketplace for salmon, Salmon Scotland mentioned that decreasing commerce friction with the EU may increase entry to different member states, such because the Netherlands and Spain, the place the fish has change into more and more fashionable.
The Scottish Nationwide party-led authorities in Scotland, the place 62 per cent of voters rejected Brexit, has made rejoining the EU the centrepiece of its plan for post-independence financial sustainability.
Many Scottish coastal communities voted to depart the EU on the prospect of bigger fishing quotas, however opinion is now divided throughout the sector about the advantages of leaving the bloc.
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