The Scottish government has announced ambitious plans to double international exports so they account for a quarter of Scotland's GDP in 10 years.

Launching the new Trading Nation Strategy, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the strategy to grow Scottish exports from 20% to 25% in the next decade would create 17,500 more jobs.

Launching the export plan at the National Economic Forum in Edinburgh, Ms Sturgeon said: “The target that we have adopted of exports accounting for 25% of our GDP in 10 years’ time is both important and also ambitious.

“Exports have hovered around the 20% mark for almost the entire 20 years of devolution so getting to that 25% and staying there – or progressing further – would be a big change.

“It would also be a very beneficial change. It would add more than 2% to the size of our economy and create in the region of 17,000 jobs.

“As a result of that, it would increase annual tax take – the money we can invest in public services and infrastructure – by an estimated £500 million a year.

"Speaking to business delegates, she added: “All of us can play our part in helping our existing exporters to become even more successful and in encouraging new success stories to come into being.

“By doing so, we can ensure that internationalisation is a success story for Scotland’s future as well as something that we continue to be proud of about Scotland’s past and our heritage.”