The United States could lift a decades-long import ban on haggis, The Press and Journal has learned.
Rural affairs secretary Richard Lochhead will use a visit to North America next week to turn up the heat on Washington over the sale of the product, which has been outlawed since 1971.
If the ban is lifted it would open up a potentially multi-million pound new market for Scottish producers. The haggis market is already worth about £15m in the UK alone.
It is understood negotiations to end the ban are currently ongoing and it is hoped Mr Lochhead could make the final breakthrough on his visit.
The Moray MSP will also lobby the US Government to lift their ban on Scotch Lamb, which has been in place since 1989.
A spokeswoman for the Scottish Government confirmed that Mr Lochhead would be raising the issues in meetings with US officials, but said it was “too early to say with any certainty” what the outcome of the negotiations would be.
The United States has long been hailed as a potential gold-mine for haggis producers – with around nine million Americans claiming Scottish heritage – and it is hoped exports can begin “as soon as possible”.
Traditional haggis has been outlawed by American authorities because sheep’s lungs are included among its ingredients.
It had also faced a further barrier in the wake of the BSE outbreak, but the US ban on British meat products following the crisis has since been lifted.
Mr Lochhead – who is also visiting Canada as part of the trip – has already lobbied the US Government extensively on their ban on haggis and Scotch Lamb imports.
He previously said: “We want to capitalise on the diaspora of Scots in the US and many of them would enjoy the opportunity to indulge in authentic Scottish haggis to accompany their neeps and tatties on Burns night.
“Scotland’s produce is amongst the best in the world.”
A spokesman for the UK Government’s department for rural affairs said: “A US ban on all EU lamb products is in place and the UK Government continues to push for this to be lifted.
“The UK Government is working with the US authorities and Scottish industry to ensure we are ready to export Scottish lamb to American markets as soon as possible.”
The United States government did not respond to requests for comment.