Meat and cereals helped Scottish food exports reach a record value of £8 billion last year, according to new figures by HMRC.
The export value of Scottish food and drink products rose by £1.9bn compared to 2021, an increase of 30.6%, to take the value beyond pre-Covid levels.
Driven by strong growth particularly in whisky, but also in other categories such as cereals, the figures demonstrate the appetite for Scottish products globally.
The record comes despite another challenging year for the industry with cost pressures, skills shortages, and inflation.
Despite the issues, Scottish food exports are 8.1% above the 2019 pre-Covid peak, compared to -1% for the rest of the UK.
Iain Baxter, CEO at Scotland Food & Drink, said the latest export figures were "a welcome cause for optimism" amid "ongoing difficult trading conditions" for the industry.
"Today’s data shows the breadth of the Scottish basket and the success we are seeing in overseas markets with sectors such cereals and meat securing significant export growth," he said.
“Very few countries have the breadth of produce that Scotland offers, and we must continue to capitalise on the strength of our biggest sectors to help the smaller ones grow.
"Our new industry strategy, which will be published shortly, will seek to build on this success and accelerate our growth.”
Scottish government's Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon said the figures were 'hugely welcome'.
"This is testament to the quality, innovation and skill shown by everyone working in the industry across the length and breadth of Scotland," she added.
“The food and drink industry is vital to Scotland. It creates jobs, wealth and helps attract people to the country by promoting our produce around the globe."
