Export drive for Westcountry's top food

Ministers have launched a campaign to get the growing middle classes in China and India consuming quality Westcountry food and drink.

The Government is eyeing the untapped economic potential of exporting to large and increasingly well-off populations, particularly in so-called "BRIC" nations: Brazil, Russia, India and China.

A successful push could be highly lucrative for the region's vital food and drink sector as the UK currently sells more to Belgium than it does to all four BRIC countries – and Mexico – combined.

Agriculture Minister Jim Paice said: "British food is already known the world over for its quality, and with surging world population growth and demand for Western products, there are huge opportunities for our producers to tap into emerging markets."

The Farming, Food and Drink Exports Action Plan, published today, includes appointing a food and drink ambassador and championing British food at overseas events. Central to the strategy is removing bans on British meat imports. Russia and China still prohibit British beef, for example.

David Cameron has previously talked about the potential of exporting heritage and luxury British brands, from Jaguar cars to Mulberry handbags, to burgeoning economies. But there has been little mention, until now, of how food and drink can be sold overseas to aid the economic recovery.

This is despite UK food exports growing by 12 per cent in 2010, and now totals £16.1 billion.

Among Westcountry food pioneers is family-owned Westaways Sausages, based in Newton Abbot, Devon, which found a market "beyond Yeovil" after launching a website in 2001. It was soon touting its products in Portugal.

With exports growing by one-fifth each year, it now sells a range of sausages, hams and even hog's pudding to Malaysia, the Falkland Islands, the Caribbean, Hong Kong and other countries.

Charles Baughan, managing director, said: "We are now exporting to over 20 countries and it accounts for around eight per cent of our sales, that's a valuable market for our Westcountry sausages. But it's the tip of the iceberg. In the region, there are around 2,000 small businesses involved in food and drink and we should be selling to the world."

Mr Baughan warned: "It's not always very glamorous. You can get off the plane and it's 45C and the car hasn't got air-conditioning and your Spanish isn't very good.

"But it's fun, it can be lucrative and you really get to know your product."

Ministers are concerned of missing opportunities as the UK still imports more food than it exports, boasting a trade gap of £18.5 billion in 2009.

Another worrying statistic is while Brazil, Russia, India, China and Mexico make up 44 per cent of the world's population, Britain exports less to them combined than to eight countries: Ireland, France, USA, Germany, Spain, Netherlands, Italy and Belgium.

Top British exports include whisky, beer, chocolate and breakfast cereals. One-fifth of sales of Dorset Cereals, which are made in Poundbury, near Dorchester, are international.

The plan was developed by Defra, UK Trade and Investment, trade associations, and exporting companies.

Government departments have been criticised recently for not buying enough British food. Labour's Shadow Food Minister Huw Irranca-Davies said: "We should be looking to take greater advantage of our reputation as a nation of quality food producers. "That is why we want to see the Prime Minister take a lead and showcase British food and drink at all its functions, and publish on its website how much of the food served in Downing Street is procured from British sources."