Exports to Great Britain (GB) increased by over €260 million in May 2021 over May 2020, with the largest increases in exports of machinery and transport equipment and food and live animals.
Exports to GB in May of this year were €1.2 billion, accounting for 9% of total export value.
Meanwhile, imports from GB decreased by €301 million to €927 million compared with May 2020. The largest decreases were in the imports of food and live animals and machinery and transport equipment.
Overall value of exports of goods from Ireland increased by €817 million to €13.6 billion in May 2021 compared with April 2021, according to preliminary seasonally adjusted trade figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO).
Agricultural produce accounted for €712 million (5%) of that figure in May 2021.
Exports of food and live animals accounted for €291 million in May this year, an increase from €234 million in May 2020.
Imports of food and live animals from GB were €132 million, compared to €221 million in May 2020.
EU and non-EU import and exports
Exports of food and live animals to the EU were worth €302 million in May this year, down from €329 million in the same month in 2020.
Imports of these goods from the EU in May 2021 were worth €200 million, compared to €204 million in May 2020.
The EU accounted for €5.5 billion (40%) of the total goods export value in May 2021 of which over €1.8 billion went to Germany and €1.3 billion went to Belgium.
The USA was the main non-EU destination accounting for €3.9 billion (29%) of total export value in May 2021.
The EU accounted for €3.2 billion (38%) of total goods imports in May 2021, which is an increase of €1.5 billion (+86%) compared with May 2020.
The USA with €1.3 billion and China with €598 million were the main non-EU sources of imports.