Food and live animal exports in the first eight months of the year were worth just over €11 billion, according to new data from the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

This represents an increase of €1.5 billion (15%) on the same period last year when this category of exports were valued at €9.6 billion.

The latest data shows that food and live animal exports were valued at €1.34 billion in August 2025, compared to €1.23 billion in the same month last year.

Exports

Up to the end of August, meat and meat preparations exports were worth €3.55 billion, up from €3.03 billion in the corresponding period last year.

Exports of dairy products and birds' eggs were valued at €3.2 billion (up from €2.5 billion), while cereals and cereal preparations decreased in value from €534 million to €518 million in the eight-month period.

Between January and August, €4.28 billion worth of food and live animals was exported to the EU, €3 billion to Britain, €1.36 billion to Northern Ireland, €627 million to the US, €318 million to China, and €1.45 billion to the rest of the world.

Imports

The CSO data shows that imports of food and live animals into Ireland were valued at €7.3 billion up to the end of August. This is up from €6.8 billion in the same period last year.

In August, imports of food and live animals were worth €886 million, down from €891 million in the same month in 2024.

Up to the end of August, imports of cereals and cereal preparations were recorded at €1.29 billion, up from €1.23 billion in the same eight months last year.

Imports of vegetables and fruits were valued at €1.3 billion in the period, while imports of feeding stuff for animals (excluding milled cereals) were similar to last year at €837 million.

Meat and meat preparations imports up to the end of June were valued at €900 million (up from €785 million) and dairy products and birds' eggs imports were valued at €850 million (up from €716 million).

Up to the end of July, €2.85 billion worth of food and live animals was imported into Ireland from the EU, €1.77 billion from Britain, €1.15 billion from Northern Ireland, €216 million from the US, €110 million from China, and €1.2 billion from the rest of the world.

CSO

Commenting on the overall Goods Exports and Imports August 2025 report, Jane Burmanje, statistician in the CSO International Trade in Goods Division said:

“Both exports and imports of goods decreased in August 2025 compared with August 2024, while exports of goods fell by 6.7% and imports fell by 1.5%.

"Exports to the US fell by two-fifths (€2.6 billion) to €4.1 billion in August 2025 compared with August 2024 (€6.7 billion).

"This fall in exports to the US was driven by a decrease of €2.5 billion (-46%) in exports of chemicals and related products to €3.0 billion in August 2025 compared with August 2024 (€5.5 billion).

"Imports of goods fell by €166.3 million to €11.0 billion in August 2025 compared with August 2024 (€11.1 billion)," she added.