The value of food and live animal exports stood at almost €12.6 billion in the first nine months of the year, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) said.

This figure represents a 13% increase on the same period last year when this export category was worth just under €11 billion.

During the month of September food and live animals worth €1.5 billion were exported from Ireland, up from €1.35 billion in the same month in 2024.

CSO

The data published today (Wednesday, November 19), shows that between January and September, €4.8 billion worth of food and live animals was exported to the EU.

€3.5 billion of these exports went to Britain, €1.5 billion to Northern Ireland, €720 million to the US, €347 million to China, and €1.64 billion to the rest of the world.

Up to the end of September, meat and meat preparations exports were worth €3.97 billion, up from €3.4 billion in the corresponding period last year.

Exports of dairy products and birds' eggs were valued at €3.68 billion (up from €2.9 billion), while cereals and cereal preparations dropped in value from €606 million to €585 million in the nine-month period.

Imports

The CSO data shows that imports of food and live animals into Ireland were valued at €8.38 billion by the end of September. This is up from €7.7 billion in the same period last year.

In September, imports of food and live animals were worth €1 billion, up from €893 million in the same month in 2024.

Over the nine months, imports of cereals and cereal preparations were recorded at €1.5 billion, up from €1.38 billion last year.

Imports of vegetables and fruits increased in value at €1.5 billion in the period, while imports of feeding stuff for animals (excluding milled cereals) were slightly above last year at €947 million.

Meat and meat preparations imports up to the end of September were valued at €1 billion (up from €893 million) and dairy products and birds' eggs imports were valued at €939 million (up from €803 million).

Up to the end of September, €3.3 billion worth of food and live animals was imported into Ireland from the EU, €2 billion from Britain, €1.2 billion from Northern Ireland, €261 million from the US, €123 million from China, and €1.38 billion from the rest of the world.