Farm leaders have urged members of the public to ditch foreign meat and buy Scottish produce instead.
The plea from NFU Scotland comes amid claims some of Brazil’s biggest meat processors have been exporting rotten beef and poultry for years.
Brazil’s president Michel Temer said only 33 of the 11,000 inspectors at the country’s agriculture ministry were being investigated for allegedly taking bribes to overlook meatpackers using chemicals to improve the appearance and smell of expired meat.
He said the ministry would soon release a list of countries that could have received rotten meat as well as the name of the meatpackers responsible.
NFUS president Andrew McCornick said the Brazilian meat scandal demonstrated why countries with lower production standards should not be given unfettered access to the UK market in future trade deals.
“The fact that the world’s largest red meat exporter is home to this scandal is a reminder that the best way for consumers to ensure they are buying fresh, quality, and tasty food is to buy food from Scotland which is clearly labelled as Scottish,” added Mr McCornick.
“Our farmers work hard to meet high quality production standards, and our supply chains are fully traceable. It is important that food is not being imported into our market that is not produced at standards that are equivalent to, or better than, our own.”
Mr McCornick said farmers and crofters needed reassurances from the UK Government that it would not negotiate trade deals which trade away the sector’s high standards of production and welfare.
He added: “Equally, we need Brexit to drive the success of our high-quality food. Currently, two thirds of Scottish red meat turnover comes from sales in the rest of the UK because of the high assurance standards associated with Scottish production.”
The union’s plea was backed by Banffshire and Buchan Coast MSP Stewart Stevenson.
He said: “As we continue negotiations to exit from the European Union it is imperative we give Scottish farmers every opportunity to export their high-quality produce elsewhere.”
He also backed calls for shoppers to buy Scottish meat and said buying local ensured both good quality and traceability.
Meanwhile, Scottish Government figures reveal the value of Scottish meat exports increased by 11% to £72million in 2016, with 90% of the produce sent to Europe.
Quality Meat Scotland said the biggest market, representing 67.8% of sales was France and Benelux, while exports to Germany increased by 23% in the year.
Exports to the Nordic countries, Poland and Baltic countries and other central and eastern European countries rose by 19%, 197% and 444%, respectively. Exports outside of the EU, mainly to South Africa, Hong Kong and Thailand, represented 5.4% of total red meat exports.
A spokesman for the Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers said the impressive export figures showed the strength of demand for Scotland’s quality output.
He said: “They also show the degree to which Europe plays a major part in our export business, highlighting the enormous importance of the UK’s Brexit negotiators in securing a deal which will allow our industry to continue growing sales both inside and outside the EU.”
