While the volume of dairy imports fell by 6.8% from 1,046,533t to 975,484t between 2019 and 2023, the value of dairy imports increased by 16.1% from €1.01 billion to €1.17 billion.

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue provided the data in response to a parliamentary question by Kildare North TD Bernard J. Durkan.

Over the five-year period from 2019-2023, the volume of beef imported increased by 21.5% from 30,213t to 36,696t. The value of these imports rose by 55.3% from €128.9 million in 2019 to €200.3 million in 2023.

The data provided show that the volume of sheepmeat imports decreased by 17.4% from 6,650t in 2019 to 5,494t in 2023, while the value of these imports fell by 1.5% over the same period from €35.8 million to €35.3 million.

Lamb

Meanwhile, the volume of pigmeat imports fell by 20.8% between 2019 and 2023 from 99,342t to 78,681t. In the same period, the value of pigmeat imports into Ireland increased by 4.1% from €343.7 million to €357.8 million.

In the five-year period, poultry imports increased by 7.3% from 134,330t to 144,114t, while the value of poultry imports into Ireland rose by 20.8% from €478.4 million to €578.1 million over the same period, the figures provided show.

In response to Deputy Durkan, Minister McConalogue recently said it is important to consider agri-food imports in the context of corresponding exports.

“In 2023, Ireland recorded an agri-food trade surplus of €5.25 billion in dairy produce; €2.79 billion in beef; €525 million in pigmeat; and €384 million in sheepmeat,” the minister said.