MORE than £43,000 has been given as a grant in order to get meat produced in the Scottish islands marketed with its own distinctive branding.

Donated by the Scottish Government, the grant of £43,400 will give the Scottish Islands Abattoir Association 18 months to test the market and establish whether marketing island meat will be a success.

Chairman of the association, Ronnie Eunson, a farmer in Scalloway, Shetland, claimed that it is widely accepted that island meat is distinctive compared to that produced on the mainland, but due to island being unable to compete with productions rates on the mainland, different approaches are required for marketing island meat.

He explained: "The islands feature many areas that are well-known to tourists and visitors to Scotland.

"The produce of the island is recognised as being special but it is often difficult for island producers to gain access to any main-land market for a variety of reasons.

"Our produce would be marketed under an umbrella brand offering a range of products that would be both of limited amounts and of a seasonal nature."

Meats potentially on offer would range from venison, native-breed pigs, Blackface and Shetland sheep, and native breeds including Highland cattle.

Mr Eunson continued that one of the problems for islanders was knowing where the potential markets exist. He added: "What we are looking for is a market that can cope with seasonality and variation, which is much more focused on provenance."

SIAA is made up of slaughterhouses on Barra, Islay, Lewis, Mull, North Uist, Shetland and Orkney.

The funding comes as part of £3.5 million of funding to 13 food and drink producers across Scotland, which was announced by Scottish rural affairs secretary, Fergus Ewing.