Lower sales of whisky and engineering equipment have dragged Scottish manufactured exports down in the second quarter of the year.

Official figures from the Scottish Government show exports contracted 2.3 per cent between April and June, compared to the first three months of the year.

Drink export volumes were down 5.7 per cent in real terms although food increased 3.9 per cent.

Engineering and allied industries dipped 4.4 per cent on softness in mechanical engineering and transport equipment.

Textiles, clothing and leather were up 7.1 per cent while refined petroleum, chemical and pharmaceutical products were up by 5.5 per cent.

Using rolling annual growth measurements, comparing the most recent four quarters to the previous four, there was a 3.2 per cent rise in overall volumes.

That was still softer that the 3.9 per cent recorded for the same measure in the January to March period of this year.

Andy Hall, head of corporate banking at Barclays in central Scotland, said: “Although Q2 exports experienced a slight drop the overall picture for 2015 continues to be positive - up 3.2 per cent.

“Despite a period of uncertainty for the wider manufacturing industry due to the general election and exporters facing the challenge of the strong pound, the sector has rallied compared with the previous year.”