The steady decline in cattle numbers across Scotland outweighs every other issue affecting the red meat sector and could also threaten the existence of the Scotch brand says the Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers (SAMW).
Ian Bentley, president of SAMW said that even in the midst of soaring feed, fuel and energy costs, the entrenched reduction of Scottish cattle numbers still poses the main threat to the future of agriculture.
He said: “Numbers have been falling for at least the last 10 years, a reduction which needs to be halted and reversed if we are to have the sort of livestock-based future for which Scotland is renowned for.
“Frankly, if cattle numbers keep dropping as they have done in recent years, we will reach the point where we won’t have sufficient critical mass to sustain the number of abattoirs which currently exist in Scotland. This could also threaten the very existence of the Scotch brand, a hard-earned global status which, once lost, will not be easy to revive.
“We probably have two to three years left, after which, if the decline in numbers has not been addressed, our industry will shrink. This will impact everyone involved, farmers, processors, retailers, and consumers.”
Mr Bentley said the decline in supply creates its own momentum, forcing consumers to look elsewhere for product and impacting everyone involved in the production-to-retail process.
“Consistency of supply is everything in the modern retail sector and if we can no longer guarantee to deliver quality produce when required, we will quickly lose our share of the domestic market,” he added.
He also urged the Scottish government to produce an agricultural policy that focuses on production.
“Government needs to act now on the livestock decline issue to ensure we have the cattle we need in three years’ time,” he said.
“A red meat chain which constantly feels under attack, simply because of its very existence, is less likely to boost production in the future than an industry which is properly appreciated and supported.
“Most of Scotland’s farmland is unsuitable for anything other than livestock grazing. Livestock offers the most efficient way of managing the nation’s land, enabling our industry to produce a much sought-after, internationally renowned, and high-quality source of protein. This is something we are very good at.
“We’re working hard as farmers, processors, and retailers to embrace the challenges of our country’s net-zero future. It’s not a process we’re resisting, far from it. We do need some encouragement, however, and we need it now.
“Otherwise, the red meat future of Scotland will suffer the consequences, such as watching farmers in New Zealand and Australia growing their livestock business by 10% over the next few years while we say goodbye to ours. That cannot be good for anyone who has the interests of Scottish food and farming at heart.”
