Scottish Rural Development Programme Support
22 June 2009
A £600,000 investment is to receive significant financial support from the Scottish Government, through the Scottish Rural Development Programme (SRDP).
Branston has been awarded a £117,000 Food Processing, Marketing and Co-operation Grant to further modernise its Abernethy site as part of the £60 million SRDP funding which aims to support Scotland’s food industry.
The company plans to further increase operating efficiencies and reduce wastage at its Scottish site by introducing vision grading, potato washing and drying with new holding bins.
Once introduced, the modernised production line will enable potatoes to be graded to a more flexible range of specifications, which can be programmed in to the automated system. Currently potatoes are graded manually, with damaged or significantly blemished potatoes being removed by hand. Automating the grading process will ensure greater speed, accuracy and consistency in the grading, increasing total saleable stock.
“Receiving the support of the Scottish Government through the Food Processing, Marketing and Co-operation Grant is fantastic news,” says Eric Ritchie, General Manager at Branston. “We’re a growing business and one that is incredibly focused on working in harmony with the environment, so being able to minimise waste and improve efficiency are key objectives. Introducing this new machinery will require a significant investment and we’re extremely grateful that the SRDP has decided to support us. I’d also like thank SAOS (the Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society) for its assistance in our application.”
Commenting on the award, Rural Affairs and Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead said: "We remain determined to do all we can to support our food and drink industry – including companies such as Branston – in the current climate. We are keen to recognise and reward those who reflect aspects of our vision for securing the freshest, finest future for Scotland’s food and drink.
“This grant is part of a wider investment we are making in the industry as we move towards our target of growing the value of the industry to £10 billion by 2017. We will also shortly unveil the next stages in our National Food and Drink Policy which aims to put even more Scottish food on consumers' plates while delivering major health and environmental benefits.”
The Food Processing, Marketing and Co-operation Grant Scheme provides financial support to organisations seeking to ensure the long-term future and sustainability of their operation. As the first company in the food and agriculture sector to achieve the Carbon Trust Standard and with all its sites ISO 14001 accredited, environmental best practice is a key priority for Branston.
The introduction of the vision grader in August will not affect staffing levels, with employees working on the grading section being redeployed to other areas of the operation when the new machinery becomes operational in September.
The Food Processing, Marketing and Co-Operation Grant Scheme was introduced in March 2008. The scheme, which is part of Scotland's Rural Development Programme, will run until 2013 with grants being awarded up to four times a year.
The scheme is competitive and includes three elements: Capital Grants, providing assistance towards the construction of buildings and purchase of plant and equipment; Non-capital Grants to help fund projects such as market research and consultancy, product development and consumer education material; and Co-operation Grants which provide support to aid co-operation, collaboration and development within the food chain.