Food and drink exports hit record levels

Exports were worth £9.23bn in 2008, up 20% in value terms on the year before. But when alcoholic beverages – notably Scotch Whisky – are included, exports hit £13.6bn. Star performers included biscuits (up 15.3%); breakfast cereals (up 12.5%); cakes (up 12%); cheese (up 16.7%); chocolate (up 10.9%); sauces and condiments (up 21%); soft drinks (up 30.7%); and tea (up 14.3%). Together, exports of these added value products were worth almost £1.9bn. The overall performance was also boosted by the red meat sector, recovering after the lifting of foot and mouth restrictions; strong exports of commodity cereals; and another strong year for fish and seafood companies who recorded overseas sales worth £1bn, despite tough market conditions. Meanwhile exports to Hungary were up 74.3% to £40.2m; exports to Poland were up 53.6% to £116.4m; those to Latvia were up 51% to £8.6m; to Slovakia up 45.2% to £11.5m; and to Lithuania up 32.7% to £9.7m. Melanie Leech, director general of the Food and Drink Federation, said: "Amid all the economic gloom, this is a genuine 'good news' story. UK food and drink manufacturers have built a strong international reputation for quality and innovation over many years – and it's clear that our sector continues to perform strongly on the export stage, despite challenging global circumstances. "As the Government this week looks to promote the importance of international trade through World Trade Week, these figures are a timely reminder of the important economic contribution made by the UK's biggest manufacturing sector."