Exports of food and live animals fell slightly in the first half of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025, new figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) have shown.

Exports of food and live animals reached over €7.9 billion from January to June this year.

This is down from the €8.2 billion worth of food and live animals exported from January to June in 2025.

In June 2026 alone, exports were worth €1.46 billion, down slightly from €1.5 billion in June 2025.

Over the first six months of this year, exports of live animals reached €416 million, up from €395 million during the same period last year.

Exports of meat and meat preparations were worth €2.6 billion from January to June this year, while dairy products and bird eggs reached nearly €2.1 billion.

€408 million-worth of cereals and cereal preparations were exported in the first six months of the year.

Imports

According to the CSO figures, imports of food and live animals were also down in the first six months of the year, hitting €5.2 billion, down from nearly €5.4 billion in the same period in 2025.

Imports in June 2026 alone were worth €866 million, down from €896 million in June 2025.

A total of €124 million-worth of live animals were imported in the first six months of the year, with €18 million in June alone.

Imports of meat and meat preparations increased slightly to €676 million from January to June this year, up from €670 million in 2025.

Imports of dairy products and bird eggs reached €530 million to June this year, down from January-June 2025 figures of €637 million.

Imports of cereals and cereal preparations were €918 million, down from €976 million.

CSO figures

In terms of overall trade in the first half of the year, both imports and exports of goods increased in June 2026 compared with June 2025.

Exports increased by 7.1% to €18.1 billion, while imports rose by 19.0% to €14.7 billion. 

Commenting on the overall figures, Jane Burmanje, statistician in the CSO’s international trade in goods division stated:

“Imports, in contrast, increased in the first six months of 2026 compared with 2025 with the value of imports rising by 12.5% to €79.1 billion.”

Burmanje added that exports to the US decreased by nearly two-thirds (-65.1%) to €26.2 billion in the first six months of 2026 compared with the same period of 2025 (€75.1 billion).

Exports to Great Britain rose by €3.1 billion (+42.6%), from €7.2 billion to €10.3 billion during the same period.

In June 2026, Ireland’s top exporting partners were the US, the Netherlands and Great Britain, with Ireland exporting 23.8% (€4.3 billion), 9.3% (€1.69 billion) and 9.1% (€1.65 billion) respectively of its total export goods to these countries.