SCOTLAND’S international exports rose by £460 million to £29.8 billion in 2016, excluding oil and gas, official figures show.
The US remained Scotland’s top export destination, with sales to this market rising by £315m or 7.1 per cent to £4.8bn in 2016.
Scotland’s second-biggest export market in 2016 was the Netherlands, which accounted for £2.1bn or 7.1 per cent of the total. Third was France, which accounted for £2bn of Scotland’s exports.
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Germany was fourth, accounting for £1.9bn of Scotland’s overseas sales. Norway, the destination for £1.4bn of exports, was the fifth-largest overseas market for Scotland.
The figures show a 6.2 per cent or £685m rise in Scotland’s services sector exports to £11.64bn in 2016. Overseas sales by Scotland’s manufacturing sector dipped by £85m or 0.6 per cent to £15.4bn.
The financial and insurance sub-sector’s exports jumped by 22.2 per cent or £290m to £1.6bn. The food and beverage sub-sector’s exports rose by £275m or 5.3 per cent to £5.5bn. The Scottish Government notes the strength of Scotch whisky exports, which totalled around £4bn in 2016.
Scottish exports to non-European Union countries increased by £565m or 3.4 per cent to £17.1bn in 2016. The nation’s exports to EU countries decreased by £105m or 0.8 per cent to £12.7bn.
Keith Brown, Scottish Economy Secretary, welcomed the rise in exports and noted it had been achieved against a backdrop of “considerable uncertainty”, while warning of the potential impact of the UK Government’s plans to withdraw from the European single market and customs union.
Mr Brown said: “It is encouraging to see that international exports continue to increase for Scottish businesses. These figures do, of course, cover a year of considerable uncertainty with the EU referendum, the downturn in the oil and gas sector and the closure of Longannet – all of which have had an impact on these historic figures.”
However, he added: “It is clear that if the UK Government continues in its plan to withdraw from the European single market and the customs union, putting barriers in the way of international exports, that our economy could be severely damaged in future.”
Mr Brown declared Scotland’s food and drink industry was “performing particularly well”, and talked about encouraging other sectors to follow its lead.
He said it was encouraging to see increasing international interest in Scotland’s professional and scientific services.
This sub-sector’s exports rose 4.8 per cent or £170m to £3.715bn in 2016.
Sales by Scottish onshore businesses to the rest of the UK decreased by £4.4bn or 8.8 per cent in 2016 to £45.8bn.