FOOD AND DRINK businesses in Moray could be set to benefit from a massive £70million funding programme announced this week.

The new Food Processing, Marketing and Co-operation (FPMC) grant scheme is now open for capital-related applications – and will plough funding into businesses throughout Scotland as part of the new Scottish Rural Development Programme (SRDP) 2014-2020.

Moray has one of the largest food and drink sectors in the country with firms in the region having already benefited from grants totalling almost £700,000 from a previous scheme – generating investment of £1.7million.

Now in his capacity as Cabinet Secretary for Food, Moray’s MSP Richard Lochhead has launched the FPMC and is encouraging Moray businesses to find out more.

He said: “Scotland’s £13.9 billion food and drink growth sector has already rocketed since 2007. Turnover here has shot up 21 per cent compared to growth of 8.6 per cent across the rest of the UK, with Scotland’s massive success fuelled by the unwavering support of the Scottish Government and our agencies.

“Moray is a major contributor to that success with a plethora of internationally renowned brands produced right on our doorstep.

“Under the last Food grants scheme over £680k in grants came to Moray increasing productivity and levering in further investment in local companies and creating more jobs.

“I am delighted to be launching the new scheme in Scotland’s Year of Food and Drink, and to have increased funding by 50 per cent which will enable us to invest even more in Scottish food and drink businesses.

“I would encourage food and drink producers in Moray to find out about the scheme and consider making applications.”

Also open for applications is the Rural Development: Knowledge Transfer and Innovation Fund (KTIF), the successor to the Skills Development Scheme, which is worth £12 million over the course of the new SRDP.

The FMPC and KTIF schemes are part of the £1.3 billion Scottish Rural Development Programme (SRDP) 2014-2020. More information, and details of how to apply, can be found on the Rural Payments and Services website:

Food Processing, Marketing and Co-operation
https://www.ruralpayments.org/publicsite/futures/topics/all-schemes/food-processing–marketing-and-co-operation/

Knowledge Transfer and Innovation Fund
https://www.ruralpayments.org/publicsite/futures/topics/all-schemes/knowledge-transfer-and-innovation-fund/