Private sector economic development body Opportunity North East (ONE) today welcomed the launch of an ambitious new strategy to double Scotland’s farming, fishing, food and drink industry to a £30 billion turnover per annum industry by 2030.
ONE is already building on the sector’s significant strengths in North-east Scotland with projects addressing business growth; innovation; supply chain integration; market development and skills. This includes co-funded work with private and public partners, including Aberdeenshire Council, Scotland Food & Drink and Quality Meat Scotland, to maximise investment into the sector’s future.
ONE’s Food, Drink & Agriculture Board, chaired by Pat Machray and with strong representation from north east agriculture; fishing; food processing; drink and hospitality businesses, developed a regional action plan for the sector in 2016. ONE’s priorities were identified through extensive engagement with businesses and other stakeholders and its goals are specific to the region’s opportunities and challenges.
ONE was established in 2016 as the private sector’s response to the economic challenges facing the region. Private sector led and funded with a five-year £25 million commitment from the Wood Foundation, it aims to support economic growth, broaden the region’s industrial base and retain and create high value jobs in the medium to long term through its work in food, drink and agriculture; oil and gas; tourism; and life sciences. ONE is also the private sector partner in the Aberdeen City Region Deal, which will deliver £250 million of UK and Scottish government funding over 10 years, primarily for innovation projects.
Pat Machray, Chair of ONE’s Food, Drink & Agriculture Board, said: “Food, drink, fishing and agriculture in the north east of Scotland collectively employ more than 22,000 people and generate an economic output of more than £840 million a year. The region has a significant share of national activity and is home to major academic and research resources. We therefore have a very strong regional foundation for further and accelerated growth to ensure that we have a balanced economy in the future.
“ONE welcomes the launch of Scotland Food & Drink’s Vision 2030 strategy, which is aligned with our own priorities across business growth; innovation; supply chain integration; market development and skills. ONE already works in partnership with Scotland Food & Drink to provide better access to market development support and other services to businesses of all sizes while also delivering its own initiatives, including a business growth programme and a food tourism project. Given North-east Scotland’s major strengths in the industry, growth achieved here will have a major economic impact regionally and nationally,” said Mr Machray.