Rapid expansion needed to meet production target by 2020

The Guardian said it had established that Scottish salmon producers have fallen way behind their goal of increasing production by 60,000 tonnes, or 50%, by 2020 to help meet surging demand for the fish from China's middle classes. It said Scottish ministers now admit that hitting the target is a "challenge".

After hitting less than half that growth target in 2011 and 2012, Scottish salmon production is expected to fall by 10,000 tonnes this year to roughly 152,500 tonnes, the largest annual fall in nearly a decade, after being hit by a series of disease outbreaks and production stoppages, the newspaper wrote.

Scott Landsburgh, chief executive of the Scottish Salmon Producers’ Organisation the Guardian that the 2020 figure "gave a focus for growth". But he sounded clear notes of caution, adding: "We are optimistic that this figure will be achieved but planning consents do not follow a consistent pattern and obviously this has an impact on production figures."