Latest HMRC data shows Scottish goods exports in the 2018/19 financial year grew at a quicker rate than any other UK nation or English region.
- Goods exports from Scotland in the 2018/19 financial year grew by 12.9% to a record high of £32.8bn.
- Scotland has now recorded 3 consecutive financial years of export growth.
- Scottish brewers Innis & Gunn are the latest UK goods exporter to be tapping into overseas demand.
Despite an increasingly challenging global economic environment, the world continues to demand British goods from regions right across the country. HMRC data released on Thursday shows that Scottish goods exports in the 2018/19 financial year grew by 12.9% over the previous year to a record high of £32.8bn. This is a faster growth rate than the other 3 UK nations as well as each of the 9 English regions.
As well as the value of Scottish goods exports being at a record high, more Scottish businesses are exporting goods than ever before. In the first quarter of 2019, 4,950 Scottish businesses exported abroad, 229 more than the same period in the previous year.
The surge in Scottish goods exports was largely driven by mineral fuels, which increased in value by 36.3% to £12.5 billion. Beverages, largely driven by Scotland famous Scotch Whiskey, also performed impressively, increasing by 7.0% to £4.4 billion.
Secretary of State for International Trade, Dr Liam Fox, said: “I am delighted that goods exports from Scotland have boasted particularly impressive growth rates over the past financial year, which is a consequence of the outstanding quality of produce and resilience of businesses across the region.
“When local Businesses trade internationally, they provide profound economic benefits to the local economy, including more jobs and cheaper goods. By diversifying their markets globally, businesses of all sizes can benefit from increased competitiveness, which encourages greater innovation and prosperity.
“I encourage businesses throughout Scotland to use today’s statistics as evidence that despite the global headwinds getting stronger, the world demands British goods at unprecedented levels. My international economic department is keen to work with businesses to ensure their full exporting potential is unlocked.”
One UK brewer experiencing global success is Innis and Gunn, who were founded in 2003 and have since become one of Scotland’s most successful international craft brewers.
In 2017 they achieved their 14th consecutive year of double digit-volume growth, and with the help of The Department for International Trade, sold 2.5m cases of beer in over 35 countries including China and Australia.
Attached to their portfolio is the Innis & Gunn Lager which is the No.1 craft lager in Scotland. However, their ambitions don’t stop there as exploding domestic and international demand means they are planning to build a new large-scale brewery in Edinburgh over the next two years.
A spokesperson from Innis and Gunn, said: “Winning over fifty awards, Innis & Gunn beers are renowned for quality at home and internationally, with a range of products from flavour packed beers to a limited-edition range of barrel-aged beers.
“The Department for International Trade has been extremely valuable in engaging us with international partners and helped organise visits to Asian markets to expand our reach to prosperous destinations such as China.
“Now that exports represent 50% of our total value of sales, we want to get as much great beer into as many hands as possible, and have exciting growth plans for Spain, Italy and Asia, in 2019 and beyond.”
A region, eh? Just imagine, if we were a country … !
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