Indians Get a Taste for Scotch Whiskey as Imports Surge

03 Nov 2016 --- Indians are savoring Scotch whiskey as trade in exports have skyrocketed 41 percent with the equivalent of 533 million bottles shipped overseas in the first half of 2016.

The booming demand for the UK’s biggest and food and drink export was highlighted by environment secretary Andrea Leadsom during a visit to the Glenmorangie bottling plant yesterday (Nov 2), where the world-renowned single malt is prepared. 

During the same period last year, 517 million bottles were exported to India and the increase shows how the country is developing a real thirst for Scotch whiskey with volume growth showing even more potential as India is highlighted in the Government’s recently launched UK Food and Drink International Action Plan for its export opportunities. 

Britain is eyeing £349 million (US$387 million) worth of export wins in India over the next five years.

Leadsom says that the Scotch whiskey industry is a powerful example of the UK’s trade potential, accounting for almost one-quarter of the food and farming industry which generates more than £100 billion (US$1.1 billion) a year and employs one in eight people around the country.  

“International trade is at the heart of our economy and our food and drink industry has a crucial role to play. That is why we have launched our ambitious plan to boost our exports,” she says.

Scotland’s world famous food and drink is vital to the UK economy, worth £5.5 billion (US$6.1 billion) last year and 30 per cent of the UK’s total food and drink exports. Whiskey accounts for £3.9 billion (US$4.3 billion) of exports, while Scottish fish and seafood was worth £553million  (US$613 million) last year.

Julie Hesketh-Laird, deputy chief executive of the Scotch Whisky Association, also met with the environment secretary where they discussed the implications of Brexit and challenges of  significantly high import tariffs which hold back further growth in international whiskey trade. 

“Scotch is a British success story, the single biggest net contributor to the UK trade balance in goods, but there is more we can do to grow exports in collaboration with Defra and other sectors. We welcomed the chance to talk about the importance of continued moves towards a fairer and competitive excise duty regime in the UK. Looking overseas, we would like to see new free trade deals which provide a boost to Scotch in a range of markets, including India, where further growth is being held back by the 150 percent import tariff.”

The Great British Food Unit which was launched earlier this year to promote exports, support inward investment and champion the excellence of British food and drink at home and abroad will support industry to achieve the targets set out in the plan.