Salmon is London Heathrow’s single biggest export by volume. Salmon Scotland comment on Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ speech.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves said:
“According to the most recent study, from Frontier Economics, a third runway could increase potential GDP by 0.43% by 2050. Over half – 60% of that boost – would go to areas outside of London and the south-east, including increasing trade opportunities for products like Scotch whisky and Scottish salmon, already two of the biggest British exports out of Heathrow.”
Commenting on the Chancellor’s speech and support for a third runway for the airport, Tavish Scott, chief executive of Salmon Scotland, said:
“The Chancellor is absolutely right to highlight the role that Heathrow plays in supporting British business. Scottish salmon is the UK’s number one food export and is the airport’s single biggest export by volume.
“Scottish business has long pressed for a third runway at Heathrow so we welcome this announcement and any measures that will support the sustainable economic growth of the Scottish and UK economy.”
- In the five years to 2023, more than 115,000 tonnes of Scottish salmon was exported from London Heathrow, making it the airport’s single biggest export by volume.
- Over that period, £1 billion worth (£970 million) of Scottish salmon was exported from LHR around the globe.
- Total Scottish salmon exports for the first ten months of 2024 reached 82,000 tonnes with an export value of £688 million.
- Scottish salmon is typically carried in the hold of scheduled passenger flights travelling to international destinations, particularly to markets in the Middle East and Asia, making it a carbon efficient mode of transport for exports to the rest of the world.
Data
Product (8-digit commodity code) 2019-2023 tonnage
- Atlantic salmon (03021400): 115,373t
- Books and brochures (49019900): 99,999t
- Medicaments (30049000): 26,932t
- Trout (03021110): 22,070t
- Beauty products (33049900): 15,839t