Hansard

I add my condolences to those of the cabinet secretary on the deaths of the researchers from the James Hutton Institute, the Macaulay part of which is in my constituency.

I am delighted that today’s debate seeks to highlight how important the production of food and drink is to the Scottish economy. The food and drink sector has grown since the SNP Government made it one of the key sectors that Scottish Enterprise should focus on in order to grow the Scottish economy. We should recognise both the success that has been had to date and the progress that can still be made.

The north-east makes a big contribution to that effort. According to Grampian food and drink forum, the region contributes 14 per cent of Scotland’s agriculture output, 26 per cent of its cereal value and 11 per cent of total Scottish food and drink employment. In particular, we should praise the contribution of the primary producers, such as the farmers who in all weathers—it has, let us face it, been pretty grim recently—produce high-quality beef cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry, fruit and milk. Without them, none of this success story would occur.

There is still some work to do to convince hill farmers and crofters that it is worth their while—and their bank balances—to increase stocking levels. I know that in the beef sector, for example, McIntosh Donald in my constituency can process all the cattle that it can get, mainly for sale to Tesco. On that subject, I thank the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment, and the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth for all their help in securing a new buyer for that and other parts of the Vion business.

However, I will focus my remarks on the contribution that fish and fish products make to this success story. Aberdeen city and shire remains the most important fishing region in Scotland and the UK, with more than £100 million-worth of fish per annum landed at the port of Peterhead. Others may focus on the farmed fish market, but I will concentrate on the fish brought to our shores—again, in all weathers—by our fishermen. In recent years, the fishing sector has experienced a lot of pain, with quotas, cuts to days at sea and the decommissioning of vessels. Traditionally, the fishermen have landed fish and expected the merchants to buy their produce and find markets for it. Now at last, I think, we are beginning to see more collaboration and co-operation between the harvesters and sellers. However, as Tavish Scott mentioned, the prices at the quayside can still be very volatile.

Only last week, those of us who attend the North East Scotland Fisheries Development Partnership were informed by John Wallace of Peterhead harbour of the rock-bottom prices for white fish at the port. That is partly because of the large amount of cod and haddock in the traditional fishing grounds, which seems to herald a return to the stocking levels that we have known in the past. That is good news if we can deliver security of supply, given that the Norwegian fishing industry, backed by its Government, is making a concerted effort to grab much of the supermarket market in the UK and our markets abroad. Our merchants are fighting hard and successfully to retain those markets.

Today, much store is set by adding value, and I would like to highlight the success story of Joseph Robertson (Aberdeen) Ltd in my constituency. Joseph Robertson used mainly to bread fish, but now it does that and much more. It supplies Christmas party food, among other foods, to Morrisons and other supermarkets. This year, it has been selected as one of 35 businesses to take part in the Asda supplier development academy 2013, which is backed by Scotland Food & Drink. Ten of the companies that participated in the programme in 2011 have seen their sales go up by up to 330 per cent, so the selection of Joseph Robertson to take part in the scheme is a great accolade, and I wish it every success.

Aberdeen’s contribution to the growing food and drink market includes the contribution of the Rowett institute of nutrition and health, which has been working with Marks and Spencer, among others, in creating nutritious, healthy ready meals.

As Elaine Murray said, following the horsemeat scandal, last week the focus turned to the dangers of eating too much processed meat. As I listened to “Any Questions?” at the weekend, I was horrified that the only alternatives to the full English breakfast that the panellists could come up with were muesli and porridge. There was no mention of kippers, Arbroath smokies, kedgeree made with smoked haddock or even scrambled egg with small pieces of smoked salmon. It is clear that we have a huge education task to undertake on the variety of breakfasts that we produce, never mind the other meals in the day. The good thing about fish is that there is very little waste.

As someone from Banffshire, I cannot fail to mention the contribution that whisky makes to the success of Scotland’s food and drink. Whisky exports reached a record high of £4.23 billion in 2011, which represented an increase of 23 per cent from 2010 and 50 per cent from 2007. New distilleries are being opened and existing ones are working at full pelt. As a youngster, I was always made aware of the value of the whisky in the bonds around Keith, which, when taxed, was higher than the value of the gold in the Bank of England—that was before Gordon Brown sold off most of it.

We may moan about our weather, but the temperate climate and the abundance of rain for water for whisky and grass for our milk cows—milk being the raw ingredient for ice cream, in the production of which we in the north-east are so successful—mean that we are in an excellent position. Our excellent reputation for a clean environment and for producing high-quality foodstuffs can only be built on further.

I support the Government motion.

15:28