Dairy, Meat Boost Ireland Food Exports

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Dairy and nutrient exports helped thrust nan rising income of Irish nutrient exports successful 2025, information from waste and acquisition assemblage Bord Bia shows.

The full worth of Irish food, portion and horticulture exports was up 12% successful 2025, astatine €19bn, according to nan group’s latest exports worth report.

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Bord Bia said nan consequence was a “milestone performance” successful “one of nan astir volatile trading environments successful caller years”.

Exports of nutrient and livestock were up 18% successful worth astatine complete €5bn, attributed to value increases successful beef and unrecorded exports, arsenic constricted supplies of cattle successful Ireland and different cardinal markets brought astir a hike successful beef prices and little export volumes.

Dairy export worth reached €7.3bn, an summation of 14%, helped by “improved” prices for dairy successful nan first half of 2025 and “strong grass-growing season” which accrued beverage production, Bord Bia said. Dairy export volumes were up 12% successful nan year, pinch food and food making up nan largest portion of growth.

Seafood export worth was besides up 9% astatine €635m. The assemblage saw volumes surge 22% which “offset weaker returns for galore species”. The assemblage nevertheless has “increased challenges ahead”, Bord Bia said, “as quotas look group to beryllium importantly reduced for immoderate species”.

Despite a “challenging year” pinch “persistent ostentation and evolving user dynamics”, nan prepared user foods conception saw export worth summation 9% to €3.6bn, according to Bord Bia’s report.

The summation was helped by “strong performance” successful chocolate, confectionary, juices, carbonated drinks and repast solutions and a 10% maturation successful exports to nan UK, nan waste and acquisition assemblage said.

Shipments of Irish cocoa were up 28% successful worth position to €90m, while nan worth of exports of sweetener confectionary accrued 7% to €175m.

Value-added nutrient exports, which now dress up 24% of exports successful nan PCF segment, besides grew 5% astatine €885m successful 2025. “Challenging trading conditions for speedy work restaurants contributed to nan tempering of maturation successful this sub sector”, Bord Bia said.

In opposition pinch different nutrient sectors nan worth of Irish bakery exports stayed level successful 2025 astatine €330m. Bord Bia said successful its study breadstuff exporters were continuing to attraction connected “value-added” products for nan UK, arsenic they look “an progressively price-sensitive market”.

Commenting connected nan latest findings, Bord Bia CEO, Jim O’Toole, said: “2025 tin beryllium described arsenic 1 of nan astir volatile years our assemblage has knowledgeable successful caller memory. Yet, against this backdrop, nan Irish food, drink and horticulture manufacture reached a grounds €19 cardinal successful exports, demonstrating its expertise to proceed building worth moreover successful turbulent conditions.

By investing successful strategical insight, sustainability and trusted customer relationships, nan assemblage is moving beyond volume-led maturation and positioning itself to present greater worth successful world markets. This advancement has been achieved contempt ongoing volatility crossed trade, consumer sentiment and ambiance conditions, which shows small motion of easing.”