A GROWING appetite for Scottish salmon in the Far East has seen exports leap to record levels for the second year in a row, figures from Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs show.

North America has taken over as the main market for Scottish salmon, with exports rising 35% to 44,454 tonnes, but it's the Far East which has seen the biggest rise – up 894%. In January 2011 the Scottish and Chinese governments signed a deal allowing Scottish salmon to be exported to China for the first time.

Richard Lochhead, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment, said: "The huge popularity surge from emerging markets in the Far East demonstrates the untapped opportunities for continued growth in Scottish salmon exports.

"Our salmon is rapidly becoming the product of choice in the high-end sushi and sashimi markets."

Scott Landsburgh, chief executive of the Scottish Salmon Producers' Organisation, said: "Exports of fresh Scottish salmon have increased five out of the last six years and have almost doubled over the last decade."