The total value of food and live animal exports in July 2023 fell back to €1.17 billion, according to latest figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO).
A month earlier the total value of food and live animal exports stood at €1.4 billion in June, the CSO has highlighted.
In the first seven months of 2023 food and live animal exports from Ireland rose modestly year-on-year to €8.3 billion – compared to a corresponding €8.1 billion a year earlier.
Exports of live animals were valued at €38 million in the month of July while the value of meat and “meat preparations” was estimated to be €364 million in July 2023.
The total value of dairy products and birds’ eggs exports stood at €348 million in July, according to the CSO.
According to Ciarán Counihan, statistician in the CSO international trade in goods division, overall in July, Ireland’s unadjusted exports of goods increased by €1 billion to €16 billion when compared with July 2022.
But he added that when seasonally adjusted, exports of goods fell by €500 million compared with June 2023.
“Comparing the first seven months of 2023 with the same period in 2022, exports of goods were down 3%, while the value of imports increased by 3%.
“Exports for the first seven months of 2023 were €117 billion,” he said.
The figures show that exports to Great Britain were €1.8 billion, which was 12% of total exports in July, and one of the largest share of exports to Britain was food and live animals with a total value of €316 million.
Imports
Total imports were estimated to be €11 billion in July which was over €300 million more than imports in July 2022.
The total value of food and drink imports into Ireland in July was €760 million which included €23 million worth of live animal imports and €89 million of meat and meat preparations.
Ireland also imported €81 million worth of dairy and birds’ eggs.
There was also feedstuffs with a total value of €80 million imported in July.
The latest CSO figures also show there was also €19 million of crude fertilisers and minerials imported in the same month.