From the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) in SNP Media today:
Scotland has the largest share of UK exports of food and drink products – with the industry in Scotland making up [nearly?] one-third of total exports out of the UK – making the sector worth £5.7billion.
A report from the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) shows Scotland’s food and drink sector has shown significant growth and is recovering from the impacts of the pandemic. FDF has said Scotland’s industry continues to ‘punch above its weight’.
Exports of salmon increased by 20.6%, while those of whisky rose by 18.6%. France has overtaken the US as Scotland’s biggest trading partner.
It’s been some time since our last 8% meme appeared. Some of the more recent ones:
Return of the Meme! 8% of the population but 100% of the aluminium smelters
8% of the population but 62% of the fish landings: How will we survive?
Scotland: 8% of the population but more than 13% of the exports and soaring!
Why Scotland has 8% of the population but 0% of the UK’s worst places for child poverty
8% of the people 20% of the space sector jobs
8% of the population and 34% of the natural resources
8% of the population but 28.5% of the wind-powered electricity
Talking-up Scotland 
Ah, but ….. former SNP MP Natalie McGarry is on trial at the Sheriff Court for embezzlement. As far as BBC Scotland is concerned that is the main story, as well as anything else that can be distorted into an attack on Scotland or the SG.
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Has she been found guilty? Surely it should be she is in court accused of ’embezzlement’…far as I know nothing has been concluded either way as yet.
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But beware! Scotland’s economy is ‘too dependent on its food & drinks industry’. Or is will it the other scare -‘Scotland’s food & drink is running out’?
Scotland has even higher ‘export’ earnings in prospect after independence! To explain through one example, Salmon Scotland has reported that: ‘Sales of salmon in UK shops soared to £1.1 billion last year as consumers increased their consumption of the protein-rich fish.’ The percentage of this total purchased in England will be high, close to a population share.
Therefore, once independent, we will have another market delivering ‘export’ earnings to Scotland’s economy. That market will in England – for salmon, spirits, other food, oil & gas, electricity from renewable sources and so much more besides – to set alongside Scotland’s already positive balance of international trade. This will add to a situation favourable to Scotland’s ability to borrow and to the market valuation of its own currency.
(Unless of course the free trade enthusiasts in Westminster put an embargo on trade – uniquely – with an independent Scotland! I presume some sort of scaremongering over trade between England and Scotland will again feature in pro-Union campaigning.)
For now Scotland’s international trade will be impacted by UK government policies and actions over which the voters in Scotland have effectively no agency cf. Brexit. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) in March 2022 – in ‘The latest evidence on the impact of Brexit on UK trade’ – reports:
‘.. there is little sign to date of UK goods exports to non-EU countries making up for lower exports to the EU, with the former down 18 per cent on 2019 levels.’
Source: https://obr.uk/box/the-latest-evidence-on-the-impact-of-brexit-on-uk-trade/
It looks as if Scotland’s businesses are having to strive to succeed against the grain of less than successful Westminster trade policies and actions. Yet another Union constraint to weigh against the mythical Union dividend?
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“But beware! Scotland’s economy is ‘too dependent on its food & drinks industry’. Or is will it the other scare -‘Scotland’s food & drink is running out’?”
How about the Chancellor really doesn’t care about getting 75% of the price of a bottle of Whisky by way of duty, tax, and VAT…
Who is dependant on whom ?
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Ahh-but.
Come the Referendum, we WILL be told—our English friends would rather…..
Suck on a soor lemon that eat salmon or steak from a self-governing Scotland.
Would rather drink the flavoursome water from England’s rivers than drink water, whisky and gin from a self-governing Scotland.
Would rather sit in the dark than use renewables electricity from a self-governing Scotland.
Would rather shiver in the cold than use the gas from a self-governing Scotland.
Would rather suck up to Putin than use the oil from a self-governing Scotland.
Luckily for us, the EU would just love to enjoy the bountiful benefits that flow from an independent Scotland.
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And of course BBC Scotland will drag out it’s usual guff about “60% of Scotland’s trade is with England”
Rubbish!
They don’t just take our renewables, they charge us for the privilege of connecting to their grid.
Most other Scottish exports have to pass through England to reach ports for their onward journey, which they count as English exports to keep their balance of trade down in order to get their financial rating high for borrowing.
All of this will change post Independence.
They will have to buy our energy.
Ports will spring up all over Scotland for our import and export needs, creating thousands of jobs and keeping transport costs and carbon footprint lower.
” Any new Scottish currency would be weak”.
Bollocks!
In order to borrow at low rates you need collateral. OIL!
The oil in the North sea will act as a Fort Knox reserve ( Black Gold) and the tax take from it would make us able to properly ‘Level Up’ Scotland and build the infrastructure mentioned above.
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Quick note to say that, since coming to this site (and similar ones recommended by you good people), I’ve been able to use just such arguments in conversation with people who believed the guff I used to. Except I was educated in England, they tend to be Scottish – but have definitely been taken in. Thing like:
THEM: “How would we export to Europe if there was a border and we couldn’t get to Dover?”
ME: We have ports to on the East Coast.
“Yes, but how would we get to Calais?”
Well, we wouldn’t need to, would we? Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium are all in the EU and within easy reach.
“So they are! I never thought of that…”
AND when things go through Calais, WM don’t count them as Scottish exports.
“I didn’t know that!”
I didn’t know myself until I read it on TUS. They keep it very quiet, don’t they?
So a BIG THANK YOU, PROF and everyone else on this site.
It’s slower my way, but I’m doing my best to do my bit.
If YES ever want an “I used to think that” body, I’d be free… 🙂
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