Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to the Answer of 18 November 2021 to Question 73993 on Seed Potatoes: Scotland, what new markets his Department has identified for Scottish seed potato exports which were not previously available.

My officials and I fully appreciate the importance of Scotland’s seed potato industry, not only for ware production across the UK but also for export, and its deserved reputation for high quality.

Currently, the Scottish potato sector exports to over 40 countries worldwide, with recent data suggesting that the majority (around 80%) of Scottish seed potato exports already go to countries outside the EU, including Egypt, Morocco, Thailand and Turkey, demonstrating that Scottish seed potato exporters already take advantage of world markets.