Farmers on the islands of Islay and Jura are meeting the crisis in agriculture head on by using technology to bring them closer to lucrative mainland markets.

With financial help from Argyll and the Islands Enterprise (AIE), part of the Highlands and Islands Enterprises network, Islay Countrystore, the retail outlet of the local farmers co-operative, has set up shop on the internet to sell products directly to the consumer via the islay-jura.com website.

The Islay Countrystore (www.islaycountrystore.com) is just one of a number of shops in the virtual shopping mall. Countrystore manager, Hunter Jackson said: "Shoppers are already making favourable comments about the cyber store and the services it offers. Local people can shop on-line for groceries, outdoor clothes and shoes and visitors to the islands have the opportunity to order provisions in advance for holiday cottages or yachts."

Islay butcher Gilbert S Mactaggart sells Islay-reared beef and lamb and Jura venison from his shop within the mall (www.islaybutcher.com). Orders are vacuum-packed and sent by mail in insulated boxes. He is confident that the virtual butcher shop will soon build up its own customer list on the mainland. Gilbert Mactaggart said: "Islay beef and lamb have an established reputation and Jura venison is a quality product. There is a growing market for venison in both Scotland and England and we expect to sell in quantity as Christmas approaches."

Most of the shops within the mall have secure servers to enable them to conduct on-line sales, and those that do not can take orders by e-mail and credit card transactions by phone or fax.

Although the shopping mall is a new venture for Islay farmers, it is not the first time island agriculture has embraced e-commerce. Highland Drovers Ltd, based at Glengorm, Tobermory on the island of Mull has a very successful website with secure on-line shopping at www.highlanddrovers.co.uk. The site sells top-quality Highland beef and Blackface lamb to the UK mainland and the company reports a healthy order list for Christmas 2000.

Melody McKay, AIE's IT adviser, is keen to encourage other farming businesses to get on-line. She says: "National opinion polls estimate that there are 11,000 new adult users of the internet in the UK every day. By the end of 2005 there will be almost 923 million internet users worldwide. The internet allows farmers to compete regionally and nationally by selling direct to this vast marketplace - there's no middle man and there are no geographic barriers to trade."

The shopping mall at www.islay-jura.com is a joint initiative supported by Islay Development Company, BT Scotland, AIE and Argyll and Bute Council.