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Scottish food and drink has grown three times faster than the economy as a whole over the past 10 years.

Figures from the Royal Bank of Scotland Purchasing Managers Index shows the food and drink sector accounts for nearly one in four manufacturing jobs and underpins Scotland's position as the dominant force behind UK international trade in agrifood products.

The PMI data examines the production trends, export sales and business expectations of food and drink manufacturers in Scotland.

The headline seasonally adjusted Scotland Food & Drink PMI - a single figure measure of developments in manufacturing conditions - registered 53.5 in August, down from 53.9 in July.

However, the index has remained above the 50.0 'no-change' value that separates growth from contraction in each month since June 2013.

A sustained improvement in food and drink business conditions over six years stands in contrast to the trends seen across the Scotland manufacturing sector as a whole.

The equivalent Royal Bank of Scotland Manufacturing PMI reading was 49.6 during August.In fact, on our measure of business performance, the food and drink category has consistently outperformed the rest of the manufacturing sector since late-2014.

But Brexit uncertainty and an intensification of global trade tensions have taken their toll on optimism in food and drink. While still expecting growth in the coming 12 months, the latest survey data reveals that business confidence among food and drink producers is the lowest since this index began in 2012.

While near-term expectations have become less upbeat, we find that new export sales across the food and drink sector continued to pick up in the three months to August.

Resilient export sales have been achieved against a less favourable global economic backdrop. The bank's Food & Drink Export Climate Index for Scotland signals the slowest pace of economic growth in overseas markets since May 2013.

But it suggests a reason for the sector to be optimistic is the Scotland's food and drink producers is the sector's record in gaining a foothold in new overseas markets, especially the opportunities provided by fast-growing consumer demand in emerging markets.

The export success of the whisky, bakeries and aquaculture industries means that Scotland accounts for 29 per cent of all UK food and drink sales to overseas markets. In fact, Scotland exports more beverages by value than the rest of the UK combined.

The research found that the value of whisky exports to India and Japan has doubled since 2013, while sales to China and the United Arab Emirates have risen by around 50 per cent over the same period.

The contribution of Scottish food and drink exports to rural economies is impossible to underestimate.

Of particular note, food and drink is responsible for 41% of manufacturing jobs in the Highlands and Islands and this figure reaches over half of all manufacturing jobs along the Speyside Malt Whisky Trail.

Malcolm Buchanan, chair of the Scotland Board for Royal Bank of Scotland, said: “Scotland’s food and drink sector has been a huge success story over the last 20 years and its contribution to the Scottish and UK economies is very significant.

“It is in fact Scotland’s largest sector. Whilst Scotch Whisky is a major component of the industry it is a sector that offers a rich diversity of world class products firmly rooted in great quality and provenance of home grown raw materials.

“As we look into the immediate uncertainties that we face as a consequence of Brexit, the Royal Bank of Scotland remains committed to supporting our customers through whatever changes and adjustments need to be made over the longer term.

“Uncertainty is not only about challenges. There will likely be great opportunities ahead too. Food and Drink Scotland has a vision to double the contribution of the sector by 2030 and that should be within our grasp given the quality of what Scotland has to offer is excellent.”

James Withers, chief executive of trade body Scotland Food & Drink, said: “Just over a decade ago, Scotland’s decision-makers were debating whether food and drink should be a priority sector in the nation’s economic strategy.

“That is a reminder of how far Scotland’s food and drink industry has come; from economic after-thought, to star player.

“Now driving Scotland’s export performance – indeed seen as a model to follow by the rest of the UK – there is much for our farming, fishing, food and drink industry to be optimistic about.

“This report confirms again that the food and drink manufacturing sector is outperforming other industries. We also know that in the past 10 years, the rate of food manufacturing growth in Scotland has been double that of the sector in England.”