This week I had the pleasure of welcoming the Scotch Whisky Association to the Parliament to highlight recent investments the sector has made. An iconic Scottish product, selling in markets all over the world. Last year Scotch rang up a record breaking £6 billion in international exports.

In the long run a modern economy succeeds or fails depending on how well it can compete internationally. I’m old enough to remember when the Balance of Payments was a key economic indicator, anticipated and pored over for what it said about the state of the economy.

The UK has had a consistent trade deficit now for more than 20 years – importing significantly more than it exports. And the fact that we don’t have the same focus on those trade numbers perhaps signifies that we’ve lost sight of the importance of exports. Scotland’s performance has been better – buoyed by energy and food and drink sales – but still lagging behind the performance of comparable countries.

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Better export performance means a greater inflow of foreign currency reserves. It creates well paid jobs and puts money in people’s pockets that helps support the domestic economy.

We know about our flagship exports industries, including Scotch. But other sectors are growing rapidly. Scotland’s world leading Life Science sector now exports more than £3bn annually. Likewise technology exports – both software and hardware – Scotland has global strengths in digital, photonics and satellites. Financial services, education and tourism are also a big part of the picture. International visitors – here to study or holiday – are a major export industry, likewise the international campuses of our universities and colleges.

Successfully competing internationally depends on a number of economic factors including productivity, investment and technology. But at the end of the day it comes down to businesses finding overseas customers and selling to them. Having the support to successfully close those deals is critical.

Headwinds – like the mistake that is Brexit, or global uncertainty – don’t make this any easier. But those challenges need to be overcome, and businesses are nothing if not resilient.

So when we talk about the Scottish Government’s network of international offices it’s important to recognise their critical role in promoting Scottish trade, and the huge value they bring to Scotland’s economy as a consequence. Alongside the work of Scottish Development International – the international wing of Scottish Enterprise – small teams located in strategic markets around the globe work to promote Scotland and grow our exports.

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Scotland also has a first class asset in our network of more than 1200 Global Scots and Trade Envoys. Spread across more than 100 countries these are experienced business people based in, or with an in-depth knowledge of an international market. And, most importantly, with a real commitment to helping Scotland succeed on the international stage. Giving their time and expertise for free to aspiring Scottish export businesses their advice is invaluable in helping new Scottish exporters find their feet in new markets. I had the pleasure of meeting many Global Scots during my time in government, and to a woman and man every one has the same message – ‘we’re here to help, give us more to do’.

The global reach of Scotland’s Chambers of Commerce, and the international presence of our Universities and Colleges, are a key part of the mix, all working together as ‘Team Scotland’. That network is invaluable and an excellent platform for Scottish international trade.

Trade deals can help smooth the way, and create an environment for success, but in a world where tariffs are, with a few notable exceptions, at historic lows their value is often around market access – removing the admin and regulatory barriers that hinder international sales.

And different types of businesses need different support. For well-established Scottish exporters it’s about looking to remove those trade barriers. For new entrants it’s as much about providing market intelligent, making introductions to potential customers and giving confidence to take that first steps into global markets. Trade missions often provide a great entry point for new businesses.

Everyone’s journey into export markets is different. Much of my own export success as a business owner was built on following my existing domestic customers into global markets and then expanding from there. International trade isn’t always as visible as other parts of the economy – compared to the sectors we see in our high streets on a daily basis. But it is our success in those global markets that underpins the rest of the economy.

So when it comes to understanding what’s important in securing our economic future let’s not lose sight of the critical importance of our exporting businesses, large and small, and make sure government and its agencies and partners continue to focus on supporting them.

Ivan McKee is a former business minister in the Scottish Government