Despite the disruption caused by Brexit, the value of Ireland’s food, drink and horticulture exports to the UK increased by 20% to €5.4bn in 2022. The near €1bn year-on-year increase is attributed to the “ongoing positive and collaborative partnerships between UK and Irish businesses”.
This is according to new figures released in the annual Bord Bia Export Performance and Prospects report 2022/2023.
Other factors boosting trade include increasing unit prices due to inflation and rising input costs, and an increase in the volume of goods exported. Irish food and drink exports continue to flow at a consistent rate, with available data indicating an increase of 19% in total volume of exports to the UK, from January to October 2022.
In value terms, the UK remains Ireland’s largest single market with 32% of the share. 34% of the country’s food and drink exports go to the EU and a further 34% to international markets.
The report notes that a key factor of the Irish food and drink industry’s success in the UK has been to maintain a diverse range of markets and channels.
Irish exporters have navigated their way through considerable uncertainty in 2022 in terms of the new trading environment with the UK, price inflation across the supply chain, the rise in energy costs at farm level, and more recently, a downturn in the British economy. To help Irish food and drink businesses exporting to the UK, Bord Bia stated that it was continuing to invest strongly in consumer insight studies and market intelligence. This is coupled with direct customer engagement opportunities that help support the Irish food and drink industry in planning and activating their business strategies in the UK market.
Donal Denvir, Bord Bia General Manager for the UK, said: “The strong trading performance of Irish exports once again demonstrates that Ireland continues to be a consistent, reliable and secure partner of the UK food and drink industry.
“The trading challenges we have seen over the last few years seem set to persist in 2023. However, Bord Bia can assure our partners that we will continue to invest in Irish businesses. With our market-leading insights, we will continue to provide resources that help to navigate the current climate and capitalise on future opportunities. We are committed to building awareness of the quality and sustainability credentials of Irish food and drink amongst UK consumers and businesses.”
Speaking at the launch of the report, Ireland Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, TD, said: “I’m proud to announce today’s excellent results which were delivered amid a profoundly challenging year for the sector, most notably the impact of the war in Ukraine, inflationary pressures on producers, and ongoing Covid-19 disruptions to the global supply chain.
“Against the backdrop of this difficult global trading environment, Ireland has continued to maintain its reputation as a world-class sustainable food producer and supplier, while also successfully securing new business in new markets around the world. I would like to congratulate the companies, farmers, fishers, and producers who have contributed to this performance, which would not have been possible without the strategic support that Bord Bia provides to the sector.”
Looking ahead, Bord Bia Chief Executive Jim O’Toole noted that the industry needs to be responsive to a range of oncoming challenges in 2023, as the challenging trading conditions of this year will endure and evolve.
He said: “As 2023 is predicted to be another disruptive year of economic difficulty and challenging supply chains, Bord Bia will continue to be agile and responsive to client and sector needs in what is likely to be a period of ongoing volatility. For Irish food and drink exporters, it will be increasingly important to be aware of how consumers respond to the current cost of living crisis and to position their products accordingly.”
