Scotland's drink exports fall sharply

Drink exports fell by 5.7% in real terms in the second quarter, according to the new figures

A sharp fall in overseas drink sales dragged down Scottish manufactured exports in the second quarter of this year, according to new figures.

The overall volume of exports fell by 2.3% - with the drink sector down by 5.7% in real terms, following strong growth in the previous quarter.

Exports from engineering and allied industries were also down by 4.4%.

Together the sectors account for more than half of international manufactured exports from Scotland.

The figures were included in the latest Index of Manufactured Exports for Scotland.

Comparing the latest four quarters to the previous four quarters, overall volumes grew by 3.2%.

On a quarterly basis, exports from the food and drink sector were down by 3.9% on the previous three-month period.

Although drink sales fell, food exports increased by 3.9%.

The fall in engineering-related exports was attributed to contractions in mechanical engineering (-13%) and transport equipment (-3.1%).

Overseas sales of refined petroleum, chemical and pharmaceutical products grew by 5.5% from the previous quarter, while exports of non-metallic, other manufacturing and repair products fell by 5.8%.

Textiles, clothing and leather and metals and metal products both saw real-term increases, while wood, paper and printing saw a fall of 3.9%.