The Scottish salmon sector directly employs around 2,500 people in the coastal communities of Scotland.
Photo: Nick Mailer / Salmon Scotland.
With international sales of GBP 828 million, Scottish salmon remained the king of UK food exports in 2025. Figures published by HMRC (His Majesty's Revenue & Customs) confirmed that it retained its crown ahead of other popular British products such as cheese, lamb and beef.
Last year, Scotland exported salmon to 45 countries, but France continued to be its largest market, accounting for 42% of total export value. The French market was, in fact, the main target for the GBP 100,000 campaign that Salmon Scotland launched last July, backed by the Scottish Government, to boost sales of Label Rouge Scottish salmon—its most premium product—in response to U.S. tariffs.
Nevertheless, even maintaining the top spot as the largest destination market, Scottish salmon exports to France fell by 27% in 2025. Meanwhile, and even despite the 15% tariff, according to HMRC figures, exports to the United States increased by 34%, making the North American country the second largest market last year, following the French closely, with 40% of the total value of exports.
In its statement commenting on the results, Salmon Scotland also highlighted that a growth of more than 18% was recorded in Asian markets, with particularly strong demand in China and Vietnam. The Chinese market, specifically, grew by 28%, closing the podium of the largest buyers of salmon from Scotland overseas, behind France and the U.S.
The trade body also highlighted that Scottish salmon farmers are now preparing to tap into the fast-growing Indian market. The "lucrative Indian market," as Salmon Scotland described it, is the next destination for Scottish farm-raised salmon, as the free trade agreement reached between the British and Indian governments comes into force this year.
Despite all this positive data, compared to last year, when Scottish salmon exports hit a record with GBP 844 million, exceeding the previous record set in 2019 by more than 36%, this year's figure has decreased slightly. As mentioned above, in 2025, total sales reached GBP 828 million, representing a decrease of 2%, or GBP 16.2 million.
However, in spite of this slight decrease in value, Scottish salmon exports did reach a record high in 2025: a total volume of 111,000 tonnes sold, up 9%. By volume, salmon farm-raised in Scotland is the single largest export passing through Heathrow Airport.
Regarding the difference between increased volume and increased value, the case of Scotland is not isolated. As we learned, for example, in the case of Norwegian exports, 2025 was a year characterized by strong volume growth for salmon, which led to a global drop in prices.
Produced in waters off the north west Highlands, Argyll and Bute, the Western Isles, Orkney, and Shetland, the salmon farming sector directly employs around 2,500 people in coastal communities of Scotland, with a further 8,500 jobs supported across the supply chain, generating GBP 1 billion a year for the economy.
The work of salmon farmers was precisely one of the aspects that both the CEO of Salmon Scotland, Tavish Scott, and representatives of the UK and Scottish governments highlighted when commenting on last year's export figures.
"Salmon farmers in our rural and coastal communities work every day to raise healthy fish that ends up on plates in dozens of countries worldwide. This success matters for the rural and island communities that depend on salmon farming for skilled, year-round employment," Scott said.
"Here at home, nutritious salmon remains the UK's favourite fish, helping more people enjoy healthier diets," the CEO of Salmon Scotland added, recalling the data we learned in November, and which revealed that domestic sales skyrocketed from August 2024 to August 2025, reaching GBP 1.5 billion.
Scotland's Deputy First Minister, Kate Forbes, spoke in the same vein. "It continues to be our biggest food export and these results are testament to the hard work of our salmon farmers and those in the supply chain," she said.
"Scotland's salmon industry makes a significant contribution to the country's economy and rural communities - worth over GBP 1.3 billion in 2024," Forbes continued. "The Scottish Government and its agencies continue to promote the export growth of Scottish businesses in both current and emerging markets, ensuring the continued success of Scottish salmon at home and abroad."
The UK Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Scotland, Kirsty McNeill, also emphasized institutional support for Scottish salmon, especially for opening new markets. "The UK Government's support for Scotland's iconic food and drink sector, including via Brand Scotland and the trade deals we are securing, is helping exporters of our finest Scottish produce reach every corner of the globe while driving economic growth at home," she stated.
"It is fantastic to see the growth in Asian markets - and with the UK-India trade deal signed last year, the future is even brighter. This agreement is helping to give our world class salmon farmers the competitive edge they deserve," McNeill added.
However, while both the Scottish government representative and the UK central government representative stressed their support for Scottish salmon, the CEO of Salmon Scotland took the opportunity to demand better regulation of the sector.
"Scotland's salmon sector is already one of the most heavily regulated in the world," Tavish Scott said. "What we need is smarter, more effective regulation, not less. If government gets that right, the sector can support more jobs, investment, and economic growth," he concluded.