IT LOOKS like 2021 will be remembered as a good year for cereal production in Scotland.

The latest 2021 figures released by the Scottish Government predict that total cereal production will be around 3.1 million tonnes, with the total area of cereals grown very like the 2020 estimates, and winter planted crop areas recovering following the poor weather in the previous year. Early estimates predict yields generally above the five year average.

The figures, published by Scotland’s Chief Statistician, include first estimates from the June Agricultural Census. They show that potato areas remained steady at 28,400 hectares over the past year, while vegetable areas increased by 5% to 22,100 hectares. Strawberries were once again the most popular soft fruit, making up more than half the total soft fruit area, which remained steady in 2021 at 2200 hectares.

Livestock estimates also brought good news, showing that the on-going falling trend in cattle numbers has halted, remaining steady with last year’s total cattle at 1,720,000, with a half per cent increase from last year, albeit that is still close to a 60-year low. Within that, dairy numbers, which have been mostly stable over the last 10 years, increased very slightly in 2021, while beef cattle, which have fallen 13% over the last decade, enjoyed relative stability in 2021.

The statistics also suggested a good lambing season, with numbers increasing by 1% on the previous year, while the number of pigs has gone up for the third year in a row. Poultry numbers have, however, fallen by 3%.

Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon commented: “These statistics give us a snapshot of Scottish agriculture and they paint a very mixed picture. The last 18 months have been particularly difficult with a number of very real challenges having arisen from EU-Exit and Covid-19 for supply chains such as labour and skills shortages and the possible knock-on impacts of these, including on food supplies.

“We are seeing nervousness across the industry with concerns around the reduction in casual and seasonal workers. Urgent changes need to be made to the immigration rules to address the acute labour market shortages and provide certainty to the sector," said Ms Gougeon. "We continue to press the UK Government on the issue of labour and skills shortages and the impacts on the food and drink sector.

“We have seen some positive news in these statistics. I am pleased to see that we could have another year with our cereal yield at an all-time high with production potentially reaching 3.1 million tonnes again. We owe a massive thank you to our farmers and crofters. They are vital to Scotland’s economy and we remain absolutely committed to doing everything we can to support them.

“A new Scottish Agriculture Bill will be brought forward in 2023 to provide a replacement for the Common Agricultural Policy and this will include future farming support payments," she added. "The work of the Agriculture Reform Implementation Oversight Board will be key. The board is working with rural partners to develop new proposals for future sustainable farming support.

“We are committed to revitalising farming and food production so that it is sustainable and profitable. Having a strong and healthy tenant farming sector is a key element of that goal and reforming tenant farming law will be an important part of that process."