KEY Scottish food exports have seen "significant reductions" since the end of the Brexit transition period, Fergus Ewing has said.
During a statement made virtually to Holyrood today, the Rural Economy Secretary said exporters of beef and lamb have experienced similar problems to those encountered by the seafood sector after January 1 and accused Tories of "pointing the finger" rather than taking responsibility for "Brexit chaos".
Extra checks have led to seafood producers failing to get their products to market on time, leading to some exporters taking their product that they were not able to export to Westminster earlier this week, in protest at barriers.
READ MORE: Seafood protest images ‘should haunt the Scottish Tories’
The Tories blamed the Scottish Government for failing to staff export hubs properly, saying the UK Government has protected funding to farmers.
Ewing said the new trade rules mean Scotland can no longer export certain goods to the EU – including chilled mincemeat, meat preparations and mechanically-separated poultry. Seed potatoes are also affected along with honey bee exports and imports.
He said: “It is just three weeks since Scotland was taken out of the European Union against our will and we are already seeing catastrophic impacts across all sectors in our rural economy.
“Members will already be aware of the challenges being faced by Scottish seafood producers.
“There have been similar challenges in the meat sector, where new trade barriers have led to significant reductions in the volume of Scottish beef and lamb exports for Europe.”
He added: "Businesses which took generations to create and nurture are being brought to their knees practically overnight by a callous Tory government which seeks to point the finger of blame at anyone and everything instead of owning responsibility for the Brexit chaos."
Ewing said export hubs were properly resourced at the end of the transition period and staffing has been increased to meet demand.
He continued: “The UK Government blithely dismisses all these impacts as ‘teething problems’, hoping that no-one realises that these are permanent changes.”
READ MORE: Crisis warning for Scots food industry as meat left rotting in EU ports
In response to Ewing's statement, Scottish Conservative rural economy spokesman Jamie Halcro Johnston said the UK has guaranteed to protect farm funding until 2024.
He added: “Mr Ewing today says he’s increased the number of staff at Food Standards Scotland, an admission that he did not put enough staff in place to begin with.
“While he pretends to be against trade barriers, the SNP’s policy of independence would erect more trade barriers between Scotland’s farmers and the rest of the UK – and the rest of the world – than any form of EU exit.”
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