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Record €9 billion food and beverage exports in 2012 - Bord Bia report

Bord Bia says the value of Irish food and drink exports increased by almost 2 per cent to exceed €9 billion for the first time.

RECORD EXPORT LEVELS for Irish food and beverages have been announced by Bord Bia for 2012, with the total worth of exports passing the €9 billion mark.

Bord Bia said the Irish food and drink sector had put in a “robust export” performance in 2012 despite an 8 per cent easing in global commodity prices, with the 17 per cent increase in seafood exports (€75 million) highlighted.

Growing trade with China and other Asian markets was noted in the report, with Irish Whiskey and other beverages seen as being particularly important for such markets. Meanwhile, existing trade continued in the United States and Middle Eastern markets, while emerging trade was noted with some African countries.

The United Kingdom is estimated to have accounted for 42 per cent of total Irish food and drink exports in 2012, with trade increasing by 5 per cent – or almost €170 million – to reach €3.8 billion. The main drivers of export growth to the UK were beef, seafood and dairy and to a lesser extent pigmeat and horticulture

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Simon Coveney today welcomed the results, saying it was a great achievement an industry facing challenging conditions.

“These exports consolidate the growth of the previous two years and demonstrate the importance of a sustainable and dynamic agri-food sector to Ireland’s economic recovery,” Coveney said. “Our agri-food sector is of necessity outward looking and the ambitious growth plans in Food Harvest 2020 recognise this. Meat and meat products, dairy products and ingredients, prepared foods, beverages, seafood and horticulture generate foreign earnings, create employment both directly and indirectly and have a unique impact on the economy of every county.

The Minister also congratulated the primary suppliers, those participating in Bord Bia quality assurance schemes, and the food and beverage companies engaging with the Origin Green sustainability agenda which he said would “underpin exports in the years ahead”.

Read: Coveney announces €32m in grants for agri-food and forest research

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13 Comments
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    Mute Mike Clinton
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    Jan 9th 2013, 10:42 AM

    Happy days and well done to all involved.

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    Mute Paddy Murray
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    Jan 9th 2013, 11:45 AM

    Great news. Great to see Irish food and drink doing so well out there. Fair play to all

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    Mute Declan Carroll
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    Jan 9th 2013, 12:39 PM

    Indeed. Important to highlight the positive, too.

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    Mute Steve Wright
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    Jan 9th 2013, 10:46 AM

    Mmmmmmmm Cheese!!

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    Mute Declan Cotter
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    Jan 9th 2013, 12:00 PM

    Excellent news… Its funny how these stories get very little commentry…

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    Mute Little Jim
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    Jan 9th 2013, 12:10 PM

    I’d agree Declan.
    Great news and little commentary.
    Must be a country thing!
    Will I send ya over some spuds?

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    Mute Mark osullivan
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    Jan 9th 2013, 12:46 PM

    They’ll hit the ?10 billion mark if they start selling lyons in Oz

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    Mute Witszend
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    Jan 10th 2013, 9:43 AM

    Lyons is made in the UK as far as I know.

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    Mute John
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    Jan 9th 2013, 11:55 AM

    Is it possible that this is down to a larger Irish diaspora buying Irish food abroad? I know I certainly bought as much Barry’s tea and ballymaloe relish my local shop could supply when I lived abroad!

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    Mute JakkiB
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    Jan 9th 2013, 12:26 PM

    Keep our food free from G.M and exports will excel, The whole Island should produce organic produces and we would become number one in the world

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    Mute Alistair Crawford
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    Jan 9th 2013, 2:23 PM

    Well done to all involved. Only wish Irish products were more available in South America, unfortunately trade barriers exist that means our best produce sometimes does not make it here. Irish agricultural produce is and can continue to be some of the best in the World. Support it when and where you can.

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    Mute Michelle Rogers
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    Jan 9th 2013, 10:15 PM

    Wow, just watched the Origin Green video with Saoirse – had no idea they were doing this – fair play to them – hopefully we will now start to see less polluted waterways and ground water from slurry and chemicals and more humanely reared, sustainable, organic and chemical-free local produce that we can actually buy ourselves in our own supermarkets!

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    Mute Michelle Rogers
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    Jan 9th 2013, 10:06 PM

    Jakki you are so right – we have a reputation as a ‘green and pleasant land’ that produces quality agricultural produce – what is quality about pork products from factory pigs raised indoors on a large scale their whole lives and pumped full of chemicals, hormones and anti-biotics? Why is it so hard to buy Irish organic vegetables and fruit in our own country – I often see English organic vegetables in supermarkets and they always say they cannot get enough supply from Ireland. Our meat and dairy products are low quality in my opinion. We don’t perhaps have as many quality artisan products as other countries, but this is something we should build on, since other countries seem to be under the illusion that we have a sustainable and green agricultural sector.

    So how about a bit of investment in organics and free range food, of course keep GM out since buyers consistently say they do not like GM, and go for the highest quality of artisan food products.

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