From left to right: Jamie McAldine, commercial development manager, Mowi Scotland; Scott Nolan, sales and operations director, Mowi Scotland; HE Vikram K. Doraiswami, High Commissioner of India to the UK; Ben Hadfield, COO farming Scotland and Ireland, Mowi Scotland; Vice Consul Amit Chaudhary; and James Park, head of insights, Salmon Scotland, outside the Mowi plant.
Photo: Salmon Scotland.
The "lucrative Indian market," as Salmon Scotland describes it, is the next destination for Scottish farm-raised salmon, and, although the free trade agreement reached between the British and Indian governments will not come into force until next year, producers have already started to prepare for a major offensive in the Asian country.
"India represents a huge untapped market for our nutritious fish as demand continues to grow across Asia," Salmon Scotland CEO Tavish Scott said. "We're working closely with the UK Government and Indian partners to make sure Scottish salmon reaches more tables in India, supporting jobs and coastal communities here at home."
With domestic consumption reaching almost 12 million tons in 2021, an increase of 120% since 2005, India is the third-largest fish market in the world. And, while it is true that most of the fish consumed is locally sourced, in large cities such as Delhi and Mumbai, where demand for healthy, high-quality products is on the rise, imports are focused on premium seafood.
It is precisely in this high-end market segment that Scottish salmon fits perfectly, but at present, the star product of UK seafood exports faces a 33% tariff that severely limits trade.
Now, following the agreement reached by the UK Government with India, that tariff is expected to be eliminated next year, paving the way for exports worth tens of millions of pounds each year, generating foreign investment and well-paying jobs in Scotland.
"This deal offers real potential, and we're determined to make the most of it for our farmers and the wider Scottish economy," the Salmon Scotland CEO claimed.
At present, India is not on the list of nearly 50 countries to which Scottish salmon is exported in significant quantities, but with good prospects opening up following this move, Scottish salmon producers are already exploring new opportunities.
Thus, as talks get underway, the Indian High Commissioner, Vikram K. Doraiswami, travelled last week to Scotland to learn more about the scale and quality of Scottish farm-raised salmon. He had the opportunity to do so during a visit to the facility of Mowi Consumer Products UK (CPUK) in Rosyth, Fife.
The plant, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, started with a team of 43 people in 2015, and now employs up to 1,000 during peak production periods. In these years, it has become the UK's largest salmon processing facility, enabling the company to produce more than 250,000 healthy meals a week.
During his visit, Doraiswami was accompanied by Edinburgh-based Vice Consul Amit Chaudhary, who also joined the visit to the Mowi plant, to discuss ways to strengthen business ties as the sector prepares to expand into this fast-growing market.
Commenting on the free trade agreement, the Indian High Commissioner to the UK said that, by reducing tariffs and streamlining market access, this agreement, which he called a "landmark," is set to boost bilateral trade, which has already exceeded GBP 40 billion.
"The Scottish salmon industry, a global leader exporting over GBP 800 million in 2024, exemplifies the quality and innovation driving this partnership," he stated. "I am delighted that with the FTA [free trade agreement] reducing trade barriers, India's restaurateurs and consumers will soon be able to affordably access premium Scottish salmon, enhancing consumer choice and fostering economic growth."
"This visit underscores the potential for deepened collaboration, as the FTA is expected to support creating jobs and opportunities in both nations," Vikram K. Doraiswami concluded.
Ian Murray, Secretary of State for Scotland, spoke along the same lines, although, in his case, from a British and Scottish perspective. "The trade deal with India is central to our Plan for Change and great news for Scotland's food and drink sector: Slashing tariffs, increasing exports, growing our economy, securing jobs and putting more money in the pockets of hard-working Scots," he said.
Within that Scottish food sector is the flagship Mowi facility in Rosyth, visited by the Indian High Commissioner to the UK, as mentioned, the largest salmon processing plant in the UK. A meeting that Ben Hadfield, Mowi's Chief Operating Officer of Farming in Scotland, Ireland, the Faroes and Canada East, said they hope will be "the first of many as we look to develop the relationship with India and showcase the versatility, taste and nutritional benefits of Scottish salmon."
"With the removal of tariffs in the new trade deal between India and the UK, there is huge potential for the Scottish salmon sector to create a market for Scottish salmon in India, as has been done successfully in other markets, making Scottish salmon the largest food export in the UK," Hadfield added.