Beef for the Philippines

Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) has welcomed the announcement today (August 9th 2017) that beef from the UK is set to be back on the menu in the Philippines.

The new export deal worth £34 million for the UK, was announced today by UK Food Minister George Eustice.

QMS was one of the UK levy bodies which supported Defra, along with the Scottish Government and other agencies, with the work undertaken to progress the opening of the market in the Philippines.

The Philippines is the largest food and drink market in south east Asia with meat consumption expected to grow by 10% over the next five years. A delegation of inspectors from there visited the UK last year.

Alan Clarke, Chief Executive of Quality Meat Scotland, said the announcement was excellent news for the Scottish red meat industry.

“The Philippines are a priority market for Scotch Beef PGI which has earned a global reputation for quality underpinned by one of the longest-running quality assurance schemes in the world.

“The deal announced today could also offer great potential in terms of maximising returns from the whole carcass.”

Mr Clarke added that there are substantial opportunities for the Scottish red meat industry to develop and grow business inside and outside of the EU.

“We have also been working hard with other trade partners such as Scotland Food and Drink, Scottish Development International and the UK Export Certificate Partnership to open key markets such as the US, China and Japan which also offer exciting opportunities for the future,” he said.

QMS works hard to promote the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status of Scotch Beef and Scotch Lamb at key overseas food events and showcased the guarantees of quality assurance, provenance and welfare that underpin the brands.

Increased meat exports in 2016 played an encouraging role in a record year for food and drink exports from Scotland. Overall food and drink exports from Scotland grew by £421 million in 2016, to a record £5.5 billion, representing an 8% increase in the value of exports to Scotland's successful food and drink sector over the past year.

ENDS
For further press information please contact Lisa Fleming, on 0131 472 4046 or mobile: 07734 110 351, email: [email protected]

Notes to editors:
• QMS is the public body responsible for promoting the PGI labelled Scotch Beef and Scotch Lamb brands in the UK and abroad and also promoting Scottish pork products under the Specially Selected Pork logo.
• Please note that the use of the word Scotch in the Scotch Beef PGI and Scotch Lamb PGI brands is correct and should not be substituted for an alternative such as Scots or Scottish. The history of the use of the word Scotch in this way, traces back to the 18th century.
• QMS also helps the Scottish red meat sector improve its sustainability, efficiency and profitability and maximise its contribution to Scotland's economy.
• The quality assurance schemes run by QMS cover more than 90% of livestock farmed for red meat in Scotland. They offer consumers in the UK and overseas the legal guarantee that the meat they buy has come from animals that have spent their whole lives being raised to some of the world's strictest welfare standards.
• Scotland's beef, lamb and pork producers make an important contribution to the country's economic, social and environmental sustainability, contributing over £2 billion to the annual GDP of Scotland and supporting around 50,000 jobs (many in fragile rural areas) in the farming, agricultural supply and processing sectors.
• For more information visit www.qmscotland.co.uk or follow QMS on Facebook or Twitter.