However, the swine flu outbreak has seen the funding mothballed.
The industry is still hopeful it will receive the funding in a few months.
Lochhead said the Scottish government will soon unveil a new food and drink policy. “Seafood will be at the heart of this program,” he said. “This will be the case for both exports and the domestic market.
“It’s no secret that we need to tackle the issue of healthy eating [in Scotland].
There are 20 Scottish companies at ESE, and Lochhead conceded they are competing against a “very difficult economic backdrop.
