IT is not often that the United States is referred to as an emerging market, but for The Scottish Salmon Company, that is precisely what it is.
However, if the company is to expand its presence in the biggest export market for Scottish salmon, its chief executive Craig Anderson believes the way the industry is regulated must change.
In the first half of this year total exports of Scottish salmon were £346 million, up 70 per cent, with £133m worth heading to the US, making it the largest export market.
Given this, it is perhaps surprising that just £1m of exports headed stateside from SCC last year, though its plans to grow this are ambitious.
The US push comes as Oslo-listed SSC aims to increase production – with a near-doubling of capacity at Portree on Skye helping – and focus on its premium fish.
Mr Anderson believes industry regulations are hampering this – and in his declaration that a Scottish Government target of 300,000 tonnes of salmon being produced annually by 2030 is “impossible” to hit he has asked a big question.
As producers reduce the recent impact of the sea lice issues which have led to high mortality rates (and huge controversy over farming practices), there is an opportunity to make salmon an even more important dish on the delectable menu sent off into the world from Scottish shores. Let’s seize it.
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