A lot to be gained in 2023 says SAMW

Posted on Dec 21, 2022

Ian Bentley, the president of the Scottish Affiliation of Meat Wholesalers (SAMW), has reaffirmed the Affiliation’s view that Scotland’s crimson meat {industry}, though pushed by decided and resilient folks, has hardly ever been put to the check fairly so severely as has been the case over the previous 12-months.

He commented: “Conflict in japanese Europe, persistent scarcity of labour and the specter of meals and power shortages within the UK, all mixed in 2022 to depart us with no simple method of coping with the yr’s many low factors, each human and financial. Now, in looking forward to what 2023 may carry, the duty which confronts us all is undoubtedly daunting. And by all, I imply farmers, processors, retailers and shoppers.”

Bentley stated that whereas he remained totally satisfied concerning the energy of Scotland’s crimson meat {industry} and the member companies that SAMW signify, there may be a lot exhausting work forward.

“The ending of the battle in Ukraine and the easing of power value pressures would definitely assist” he added, “though neither of those needs could be counted on to come back true quickly, definitely not in the course of the early weeks of the yr. To a big extent, due to this fact, the energy of our {industry}’s long-term place within the UK, European and world economic system will depend upon our skill to barter the yr forward, largely based mostly on our personal efforts and sources.

“We’ve all the time had a powerful and high-quality livestock base on which to construct, a truth which hasn’t modified, regardless of the pressures which encompass us. We even have a loyal and rising shopper base, each domestically and in lots of different components of the world. This truth stays remarkably enduring, as we witnessed on the current SIAL present in Paris, the place many Scottish crimson meat corporations secured invaluable new enterprise.”

He went on to say that there’s nonetheless a lot to be gained by the Scottish {industry} persevering with to carry the road in 2023, battling to take care of value rises when it comes to manufacturing, processing and distribution, with the intention to ship the top product high quality for which Scotland is famend.

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Inspired

Mr Bentley continued: “As I full my first 9 months as SAMW president, actually, I’m inspired by what has been achieved this yr in pursuit of creating our {industry} run as easily and successfully as attainable, elements that are nearly as good for our suppliers and prospects as they’re for our personal members. A serious acquire, secured in late November, featured the Authorities’s resolution to use a 12-month delay to the introduction of export certification restrictions on non-assured inventory, a transfer which might have been massively damaging to UK/EU commerce, had widespread sense not prevailed.

“Whereas it is going to be very important to resolve this subject early in 2023, quite than permitting it to hold over us, we are able to, for the second, have a good time this important resolution. It was additionally a powerful success marker for the all-industry strategy which led Ministers to suppose once more, emphasising the ability which could be created when your complete provide chain works collectively.

“In Scotland, in fact, the additional growth of the brand new Agricultural Invoice might be keenly awaited over the subsequent few months, constructing on the in depth session course of which was accomplished in early December. That is clearly an enormous alternative for our complete {industry} to be given the precedence consideration wanted to provide high quality meals, alongside taking part in our full half in assembly the environmental and local weather change calls for which the Invoice additionally outlined.

“Troublesome as it’s to flee the UK and world crises into which we’ve all been drawn, I imagine we are able to proceed to drive ahead as a crimson meat sector in 2023, offering important enterprise options in opposition to a background of all-industry energy and dedication,” he concluded.