The organisation responsible for strengthening Scotland's competitiveness is calling for businesses and organisations to participate in its annual Export Survey.

The Scottish Council for Development's (SCDI) Survey of Scottish Manufactured Exports is Scotland's only independent and authoritative measurement of the country's export performance. Each year, exporters are asked to take part in the survey which provides long-term trends analysis of Scotland's international trading performance.

And those companies that take part in the survey, which has been gathering data almost 50 years, will be automatically entered into the SCDI's International Export Awards,

Scotland's leading celebration of international success, which are being held on 21 November at The Hilton, Glasgow.

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Commenting on the survey, Dr Lesley Sawers, Chief Executive of SCDI said that the

annual survey provides a valuable insight into Scotland’s performance on the global

stage: "For the last two years, Scotland's non-electronics sectors have seen an increase in manufacturing exports - and last year alone recorded an impressive 8 per cent growth.

"With the volatility in the global markets, it is important to determine the impact on our

economy and our home-grown exporters. Increasing competition from the emerging

markets and weakening of the pound will all have taken affect on Scottish manufacturing, but to what extent is unknown.

The SCDI's Gala Dinner and Awards is firmly established as one of the premier business awards in Scotland and is attended by around 750 leaders drawn from all sectors of industry and commerce.

Lesley Sawers continued: "This survey provides valuable information and data that is used to support SCDI's international trade activity and to influence government policy. It is the only truly independent, business led survey in Scotland which provides a true picture of our manufacturing exporting performance.

"The Survey of Scottish Manufactured Exports not only helps us to understand the state of Scotland's manufacturing sector, but it also enables us to identify areas of the Scottish economy that are performing well in international markets, as well as those areas that may need additional support from the Scottish Government to internationalise."

(GK/JM)