British food and drink exports have hit a record annual high of £10.5 billion as British beef goes back on foreign menus, latest figures show.
It beats the previous record of £10.1 billion achieved in 1996 before the BSE-related beef export ban came in. Beef sales soared by nearly 321 per cent to £80.1 million between 2005 and 2006.
Ireland is the number one overseas market for British food and drink followed by France in second place.
Total year-on-year UK food and drink exports rose from £9.9 billion in 2005 to hit £10.5 billion in 2006. It marks a recovery from the 2002 low of £9.2 billion, according to development consultancy Food from Britain.
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Exports to other EU countries make up 68 per cent of all overseas sales of UK food and drink.
PA