International sales of Scottish salmon have hit a record high of £844m, according to data from HMRC.
These export numbers show an increase of 45% compared to last year and are higher than the previous record set in 2019 at £618m.
Significant pockets of growth were in the Asian markets, particularly China and Taiwan, which saw growth of more than 60%.
This year Scottish salmon was exported to 48 countries and remains the UK’s top food export.
“Today’s record exports demonstrate the increasing global demand for Scottish salmon, which is rightly recognised as the best in the world and increasingly sought after by discerning consumers,” said Tavish Scott, chief executive of trade body Salmon Scotland. ”Salmon farmers in our rural and coastal communities go out every day to raise healthy fish which end up on plates in dozens of countries.”
Scottish salmon is the largest export by volume that goes through Heathrow Airport, where it travels on scheduled flights to multiple international destinations and maintains its freshness.
France remains the top market and accounts for 55% of total value of all Scottish salmon exports, followed by the United States, which accounts for 27%.
“These exceptional figures clearly demonstrate the surging global demand for Scottish salmon, which is rightly recognised as a premium high-quality product,” said deputy first minister Kate Forbes. “The farmed salmon sector is very important to our economy, providing well paid, high skilled jobs in Scotland’s rural and island communities.”
The new figures come after survival rates on salmon farms in Scotland reached a four-year high of 82.3% in 2024, following tech investments to enhance animal welfare.
Industry group Salmon Scotland said the improvement in survival had led to more food being available to export to meet international demand.
The sector directly employs around 2,500 people in coastal communities, with the supply chain adding another 10,000 jobs.
“Scotland’s salmon sector is heavily regulated by government – we need better, not less regulation,” Scott added. “That is the task for government and if that is delivered then we can create more jobs and economic growth.”
This comes following a new report from campaign group WildFish that has accused the salmon industry of marketing its product in such a way that consumers could be misled as to the origin, welfare and environmental performance of their purchases.
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