A TASKFORCE has been established to identify and respond to any potential disruption to Scotland's food security resulting from the impact of the war in Ukraine.

Created jointly by the Scottish Government and the country's food industry, the short-life body will be co-chaired by Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands, Mairi Gougeon and the chief executive of Scotland Food & Drink, James Withers, hiself a former chief executive of NFU Scotland.

Drawing on technical and scientific knowledge and expertise from across a range of sectors, agencies and organisations, the taskforce will include key food and drink industry leaders and will meet frequently over the coming weeks.

Ms Gougeon said: The truly terrible events in Ukraine and the resulting western sanctions on Russia are, rightly, changing the way the world does business. Our immediate focus as a Government continues to be on doing everything we can within our power to support the people of Ukraine and address their humanitarian need.

“We need to take action now to better understand the potential impact of disruption to the food supply chain in Scotland, how industry and government might work together to manage and mitigate those, and be alert to the resulting impact on the cost of food products," said Ms Gougeon.

"Over the last two years, our food and drink sectors have experienced a series of shocks in terms of disrupted supply chains and new barriers to trade through Covid and Brexit. It is clear that the unfolding tragedy in Ukraine will have further impacts – not least through the hugely challenging increases in energy bills which affect households and everyone in the food industry, from farmers to hauliers, processors to retailers.

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“That is why the Scottish Government has convened a taskforce jointly with industry to monitor, identify and respond to these issues, as well as recommending actions that can be taken by business, the Scottish and UK Governments to mitigate the challenges. Crucially, the taskforce will also consider how we can continue to get products and food supplies to Ukraine – we must not forget that there is a population still there that will desperately need our help and support in the weeks ahead."

Mr Withers said: “The establishment of this taskforce is a welcome and an important step. The immediate focus from the war in Ukraine is on the humanitarian fallout. However, it is also critical that we assess urgently the potential impact of the conflict on national food security and supply. From wheat and barley to sunflower oil, Ukraine and the surrounding region is a major player in terms of global food supply and agricultural production.

“Immediate supplies of food and animal feed are secure, even if prices are rising sharply. However, whilst much still remains unknown in terms of the impact of the war on global supply chains, there is clearly a shock to the system coming. We must understand its implications for Scotland’s farmers, food manufacturers and consumers and consider any short or medium-term action we can take to mitigate their impact."

Current NFUS chief executive Scott Walker welcomed ScotGov's recognition of 'significantly heightened' food security concerns: "We must identify the immediate risks to domestic food production and act now.

“Inflationary pressures across the whole supply chain, from farm to consumer, have been building and market volatility has reached exceptional levels. The short life of the taskforce recognises the seriousness of the situation and the need to identify solutions quickly. Whatever this group identifies, we need action from the government on its recommendations," stressed Mr Walker.

“The union believes that maintaining stability so that farming businesses retain their capacity to produce food must be a priority. NFU Scotland has published its list of immediate asks of Governments, the wider supply chain and banks and we would welcome the opportunity to share these with the taskforce.”