Leaving the UK would result in the loss of a beef dividend worth more than £200million to Scots farmers in the past four years, claims Rural Better Together.
The lobby group warned that exiting the UK would see Scottish farmers become exporters to their customers south of the border, putting Scottish beef in direct competition with Irish beef on the export market.
Former Lib Dem MEP George Lyon said analysis of Quality Meat Scotland data, comparing beef prices achieved by Irish and Scots farmers over the past four years, revealed the premium enjoyed by Scottish beef in the UK market.
He said Scottish farmers benefited from premium prices ranging from £66 in 2011 to £203 in 2013 per head of cattle, with the current differential with Irish beef at more than £200 per head of cattle.
“As part of the UK, Scottish farmers benefit from a big trade promotion network that is working to open new markets for beef and other products from around the world. But we still sell the lion’s share of our meat into the UK market,” said Mr Lyon at the Royal Highland Show.
“Scottish beef has a deserved reputation for quality. But pulling away from our biggest customer would not help us boost exports. The rewards of free access to a big UK home market could not be clearer.”
Kelso beef farmer Keith Redpath, whose farm lies on the border across both Scottish and English soils, added: “Even in today’s falling beef market, which some blame on cheap imports from Ireland, we still have a £200 per head advantage over Irish farmers.
“You do not have to be a genius to work out that turning 90% of our home market into foreign customers would see us lose the advantage we share as part of the UK. Customers in the UK pay a premium for Scotch beef that as often as not is sold with a Made in Britain label. Staying with the UK family is the best and only way to guarantee the market advantage we currently enjoy.”
Alistair Darling, leader of the Better Together campaign, also attended the show to campaign for Scotland to stay within the UK.
“At the moment we are Scottish and we are also British,” said Mr Darling.
“Your (Scots) food can be labelled as Scottish and British and you wouldn’t want to lose the opportunity of being able to label it British anymore. Instead you can have the best of both worlds.”