Scottish food and drink companies are making a strong recovery from the pandemic and challenges caused by Brexit with exports surging 15 per cent in 2021, according to new data.

The latest overseas trade figures from the Food and Drink Federation also confirmed Scotland accounts for the largest share of UK food and drink exports at almost 30 per cent of the sector’s total overseas trade.

However, although firms have recovered significant lost ground the figures are still down on the £6 billion-plus achieved pre-Covid and the latest data also doesn’t include the impact of the Ukraine crisis.

Scottish food and drink firms fly flag for UK with bumper exports but outlook cautious