Ireland’s food and drink sector has achieved a historic milestone, with exports soaring to €17 billion in 2024. This remarkable figure, reported by Bord Bia in the Export Performance and Prospects Report for 2024/25, reflects a 5% growth despite ongoing challenges such as geopolitical instability, fluctuating inflation, and elevated trading costs.

The report highlighted that while inflation and cost pressures continue to impact both businesses and consumers, certain food categories not only increased in value but also in volume. Seafood, prepared consumer foods (PCF), and meat and livestock emerged as notable contributors to this growth.

The dairy sector, being the largest category of Irish food exports, maintained a steady export value of €6.3 billion, even as adverse weather conditions posed challenges to grass growth. Meanwhile, meat and livestock exports experienced a 6% rise to €4.3 billion, attributed to escalating volume and value in beef, pig meat, and live livestock.

The beverages sector showed particularly robust growth, with drink exports climbing by 19% to surpass €2.1 billion. Among these, ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages marked a striking threefold increase year-on-year, reaching €235 million. Whiskey exports also saw an increase, up 13% to over €1 billion.

Furthermore, the prepared consumer foods (PCF) sector recorded exports amounting to €3.4 billion, a 7% rise, while seafood exports grew by 9% to approximately €595 million. The exports of cereals and horticultural products also showed a healthy increase, rising by 4% in value to a total of €325 million this year.

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, commented on the situation, stating, “It is very encouraging that this annual analysis report from Bord Bia shows a hugely positive performance for the 2024 export value of Irish food and drink at €17bn. Add to this the value of non-edible products and Irish agri-food exports are in the region of €19bn, a figure approaching a 5% increase on 2023.”

He also noted the significant achievements of the sector amidst challenging conditions, praising the consistent resilience demonstrated by food companies, farmers, fishers, and producers throughout the production cycle.

In terms of market distribution, Irish food and drink exports to the European Union accounted for €5.9 billion of the total, reflecting a 4% increase from the previous year. France, Germany, and Belgium emerged as the largest customers for Irish goods within the EU. Notably, the UK retained its position as the single largest market, with exports valued at €5.9 billion, while North American exports rose by 14% to reach €2 billion.

Overall, the data underscores the dynamic performance of the Irish food and drink sector, highlighting the ongoing development and diversification of its export markets amidst fluctuating global conditions.