Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon said he has "stressed the important export focus of Ireland’s agri-food sector" at a meeting of the Government Trade Forum this week.

Tánaiste Simon Harris convened the meeting of the forum on Wednesday.

In 2024, agri-food exports were worth a record €19 billion and reached over 180 countries, with total exports increasing by almost two-thirds in value over the last decade. 

Minister Heydon commented: “The meeting was an opportunity to discuss the premium positioning of Irish food and drink products on the global market, which is testament to the dedication of individuals working across 133,000 farms, 2,000 fishing vessels and aquaculture sites, and over 2,000 food and drink businesses.

"While there are uncertainties currently around the global trading landscape, I am confident that the agri-food sector will once again rise to these challenges.”

The meeting also discussed the Government’s recently published Action Plan on Market Diversification, which set out a number of actions for the agri-food sector.

This meeting also saw presentations from Bord Bia, Ornua and Irish Distillers on the current sectoral challenges in the global trading environment.

This was the eighth meeting of the forum since its establishment and the first since the joint statement on the EU-US Framework Agreement published last month. 

Speaking after the meeting, the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Simon Harris said: “As a result of the EU-US trade deal, there is now greater certainty in relation to trade with the US.

“The Government is laser-focused on driving competitiveness and productivity in our economy and supporting businesses.

“It is imperative that businesses have the necessary supports as they look to diversify into new and diverse markets and to deepen their engagement in existing markets."