Ireland achieves ‘watershed year’ for exports

The publication of Bord Bia’s Export Performance & Prospects report 2019/2020 has revealed that exports from Ireland’s food, drink and horticulture industry in 2019 reached €13b (£11.1b).

This is the highest level of exports in the Irish Food Board’s 25-year history and concludes a decade of growth in which food, drink and horticulture exports have grown by 67%, or the equivalent of €5.6b (£4.8b).

Speaking at the launch of the report, Michael Creed TD, the minister for agriculture, food and the marine, said: “2019’s record performance for Irish food and drink exports is testament to the resilience and dedication to sustainability and world-class quality among our indigenous producers.

“A diversified approach to increasing our reach within the global marketplace has yielded record levels of growth with a strong performance recorded across most sectors and categories. That said, we face a global trading environment in 2020 which continues to be marked by volatility and political uncertainty. “A diversified approach to increasing our reach within the global marketplace has yielded record levels of growth with a strong performance recorded across most sectors and categories. That said, we face a global trading environment in 2020 which continues to be marked by volatility and political uncertainty. "

Tara McCarthy, chief executive of Bord Bia (pictured), added: “2019 was a watershed year for Ireland’s food and drink industry, not only in the total value of exports achieved, but also in the make-up of their destination. For the first time exportlevels to Continental Europe exceeded exports to the UK.”

The report highlights overall export growth in 2019 of 7% to €13b, compared to €12.1b (£10.3b) in 2018. Growth across key categories and to priority markets has been achieved against a backdrop of an increasingly complex global trading environment.