WITHOUT ACCESS to skilled labour, whether domestic or migrant, the red meat sector will struggle to play any part in Scotland's ambitious targets for food and drink export growth, industry leaders have warned.

As politicians of all persuasions prepared to meet their farming public at the Royal Highland Show later this week, levy-funded sector promotion body, Quality Meat Scotland seized the agenda by launching its "Importance of Migrant Labour to Scottish Red Meat Industry" briefing document.

Unpicking the oft-repeated suggestion that meat sector jobs could just as easily be filled by the domestic unemployed, the QMS paper highlights the disparity between the official classification of 'unskilled' roles, and the practical importance of experienced and committed labour to an industry working on net profit margins at the low single-digit level, despite its annual output of around £2.4 billion.

“Where non-UK labour is of fundamental importance to the red meat supply chain is in the slaughter and processing sector," said Stuart Ashworth, QMS head of economics services. "Not only is non-UK labour important on the factory floor but it is also key in respect of veterinary inspection.

“Without access to skilled domestic or migrant labour the ability of the Scottish red meat sector to contribute to the growth targets set by the Scotland Food and Drink Partnership in its Ambition 2030 strategy published in spring 2017 will be compromised.”

A recent survey of members of the Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers showed a significant dependence on migrant labour, where a significant number of non-UK employees have long ago progressed to skilled supervisory and management roles.

The SAMW survey showed that 52% of the unskilled workforce, 44% of the skilled workforce and 16% of supervisory and management staff were currently non-UK nationals, amounting to just over 1500 meat sector employees.

QMS also highlighted the importance migrants in the statutory food safety inspections and monitoring carried out in Scottish abattoirs, with Food Standards Scotland reporting that no less than 98% of their official at-slaughter veterinarians are non-UK nationals.

Mr Ashworth also noted that, aside from their lack of on-the-job experience, the arguments in favour of employing more locals did not takew account of the fact that many meat processing businesses are located in areas with unemployment levels below the national average, for example Aberdeenshire, Moray, Dumfries and Galloway, Perth and Kinross, Angus and Stirling.

“Abattoirs in these regions would account for some 70% of the Scottish cattle and pig throughput and 90% of the Scottish sheep throughput," he pointed out, stressing the need for continuity of staffing if serious supply chain disruption was to be avoided.

Although Brexit has yet to actually happen, the QMS report noted that the the uncertainty caused by the vote to leave the EU has already led to a higher rate of turnover among migrant labour than was previously the case: “The sector therefore has two concerns in respect of non-UK labour – one being current established employees leaving and the second a reduction in those willing to come to the UK,” said Mr Ashworth.

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