Isles salmon exports hit the £110 million mark

​​Scottish salmon exports from the Western Isles totalled £110million last year, supporting more than 400 local jobs.
The sector is worth £150 million to the islands economy.  (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)The sector is worth £150 million to the islands economy.  (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)
The sector is worth £150 million to the islands economy. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

The breakdown of statistics is contained in oficiall new data published from the UK Government which demonstrates the continued strong global demand for Scotland’s farm-raised salmon, now the UK’s biggest food export.

The regional breakdown figures by trade body Salmon Scotland shows that 13,730 tonnes were exported from the Western Isles in 2022, representing 19 per cent of the Scotland-wide share.

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Overall, salmon overseas sales reached a a total of £578 million – which is down six per cent on 2021 (£614 million) and a similar rate below the record £617million year in 2019.

The report shows that exports were shipped to 54 different markets last year, with North America and Asia reporting strong demand.

The industry directly employs 2,500 people in Scotland and supports more than 3,600 suppliers, with 10,000 jobs dependent on the sector. A wider economic evaluation puts the sector’s worth to the Western Isles at £150 million.

Tavish Scott, chief executive of Salmon Scotland, said: “Scottish salmon is an extraordinary global success story that we can all be immensely proud of, supporting thousands of jobs and contributing hundreds of millions of pounds to the UK economy.

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“Achieving a return of £578million on exporting Scottish salmon comes back to areas such as the Western Isles, where production happens every day of the year to make sure the final product achieves the conditions which consumers expect.

“With such pressure on public services during the cost-of-living crisis, the revenue generated by our farmers has never been more important.

“Scottish salmon, grown sustainably in the cold waters off our west coast, is recognised as the best in the world – which is why it is in such high international demand.

“Through responsible growth of the blue economy we can help feed the world, rearing one of the most nutritious foods that we can eat.“Thank you to everyone involved from egg to plate for delivering such a successful year for Scottish salmon."

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Scottish Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon said: “It is fantastic to see strong sales of Scottish salmon in 2022 and I want to congratulate everyone in the sector on another successful year.

“Scottish salmon is a world-renowned brand and its success is testament to the quality of Scottish salmon as a product.

“That is why we are committed to our ongoing investment in research, development and innovation alongside robust management measures, so that consumers can continue to have confidence in the sustainability of Scottish seafood.

“Food and drink is one of our priority export sectors and the continued growth in global markets means more jobs and investment across Scotland.

“We will continue to engage with and listen to the Scottish salmon industry in order to understand how we can improve export opportunities and remove barriers to trade.”