SOME of Scotland’s most important exports have seen costly reductions in sales to other countries, research has revealed.
Analysis conducted by the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) showed that Scotland’s whisky and salmon exports were down by 11% and 6.4% respectively since 2019.
The analysis also found that the UK’s total exports of food and drink was down by £2.7 billion (-15.9%) in the first three quarters of 2021 – with £2.4bn (-23.7%) directly from a drop in sales to the EU.
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Exports to key markets such as Germany (-44.5%), Italy (-43.3%), and Spain (-50.6%) have also dropped significantly since 2019, with exports to Ireland down by more than a quarter.
Imports from the EU have also reduced by nearly 11% in 2021, with trade to countries such as the Netherlands (-19%), Ireland (-20.1%), and Germany (-33.1%) all down.
The SNP said the figures showed the "harsh reality of Brexit" as they accused Boris Johnson of "inflicting damage on Scotland against its will".
The party's shadow international trade spokesperson Drew Hendry MP said: “This is the harsh reality of Boris Johnson’s ‘Brexit Britain’.
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"The UK government will continue to argue that Brexit will be good for UK trade, but time and time again it is being periodically rubbished by official statistics. Nearly every sector is reporting serious disruption to their business models, and it could get worse.
“The Prime Minister, alongside his band of Brexiteers, have inflicted this damage on Scotland against its will – with hundreds of industries across the country being hammered.
“Scotland is not safe under Westminster control. There can be no doubt that the only way to keep Scotland safe from the long-term damage of Boris Johnson’s botched Brexit deal is to become an independent country.”
The UK Government has been contacted for comment.
How has Brexit affected your Scottish business?
Has Brexit had an impact on your Scottish business? Whether you work in hospitality, travel, or any other sector we would love to hear from you. We already know leaving the EU has meant empty shop shelves, delays in orders and price rises for Scots businesses. Now we want to hear from owners themselves to find out what Brexit has done to our firms.
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