Shoppers are clamouring for more Scottish produce in a “seismic” shift in tastes, a minister said yesterday.
Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead said consumers were becoming more fussy about the food they bought and where it came from.
Speaking at the Glamis Castle launch of Scottish Food Fortnight – an annual celebration of food and drink from north of the border – Mr Lochhead said: “Supermarkets recognise this increased demand for Scottish food.
“I know that one leading supermarket has increased sales of Scottish products in Scotland by 20% and in the rest of the UK by 14% in the last year.
“The government wants the freshest, finest future for Scottish food, which is why we are busy developing Scotland's first national food and drink policy.”
Mr Lochhead said the shift in demand at supermarkets showed the public wanted to do its bit to support local producers, while many more people were now growing their own food to eat and sell.
He also announced plans for a new government-funded post to ensure food and drink is properly showcased during next year’s Homecoming Scotland celebrations.
Scottish Food Fortnight officially starts today and sees almost 60 food-focused events taking place throughout the country.
The programme, organised and funded by the Scottish Countryside Alliance Educational Trust, has strong participation from schools as well as food and drink firms.
Children attending yesterday’s launch were given recipe ideas to help them make use of Scottish autumn produce as part of farming union NFU Scotland’s What’s On Your Plate? campaign.
Meanwhile, some of the finest food and drink from Scotland will be on show at an event in London.
About 20 of the country’s producers are taking their place in the Scotland Food and Drink Pavilion at the Speciality and Fine Food Fair, which runs from tomorrow until Tuesday at Olympia.