The importance of Scotland’s beef industry contributing as it does 25 per cent of total agricultural output in this country, was stressed at a sector meeting this week.
On the table was a report produced by Quality Meat Scotland which listed the challenges faced by the industry as well as the opportunities for future growth.
Scotland’s rural affairs secretary Richard Lochhead, who commissioned the report, described the beef sector “as playing a pivotal part of Scotland’s agriculture industry, generating significant economic output and with an enviable international reputation as a premium product”.
But he added it was clear the industry faced a number of challenges and he assured the meeting he was committed to working with the sector to address these issues as well as identifying what action could be taken by government, industry and producers.
Looking outwith Scotland, Lochhead said he wanted to ensure Scotland continued to maximise and capitalise on the potential of the growing export market. “The prospect of growth in the global demand for protein, especially red meat, is very encouraging,” he said, “and we must take advantage of that emerging opportunity to achieve a profitable and sustainable future for the entire supply chain.
The report also focussed on potential problems arising from the forthcoming reform of the Common Agricultural Policy and Lochhead said he remained focused on getting the best possible deal from Europe for Scotland.
“But beef producers just can’t rely on the CAP to sort out their problems, they need to be doing their bit to improve their production efficiency,” he said.
“There is a bright future for Scotch beef and our beef industry. We need to pull together and work together in the short-term to overcome the short term hurdles that are currently being faced.”
Also speaking at the meeting, Jim McLaren, chairman of Quality Meat Scotland, said the backdrop to the report was the recognition of increasing global demand for food.
“As economies grow or recover there will be greater demand for beef and the challenge for the Scottish industry is to be in a position to capitalise on this opportunity,” he said.
But that door would only open if three conditions were met – if there was market access, if there were profitable businesses throughout the supply chain and if there was a critical mass of livestock numbers to ensure there was a strong supply of raw material.
Newly appointed livestock policy Manager for NFU Scotland John Sleigh said that securing the right level of support for the livestock sector from the ongoing CAP reform negotiations was a priority for the union.
“We have recently sat down in private with other parts of Scotland’s red meat industry and we will be seeking to make the most of Scotland’s CAP options to secure continuity and growth of supply into markets for Scotch beef both at home and abroad.”