Food exports from Scotland are now growing five times faster than whisky as foreign markets develop a growing appetite for fish and other seafood.
Overseas sales of food and drink from Scotland last year grew by £421 million or 8% to a record £5.5 billion, new figures have confirmed.
Whisky accounted for more than £4bn of the total, as revealed in figures announced last month, a 4% rise (£153m) on the previous year.
Encouragingly for the sector, food exports grew by 22% to £1.5bn. Food exports have now doubled since 2007.
Fish and seafood showed the biggest rise, up 26% (£156m), with demand from Europe sharply higher. This is thought to be fuelled by increasing demand for Scottish seafood in overseas restaurants.
Exports to EU countries were worth £2.3 billion overall, up £133 million.
