Agriculture Industry

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 May 2023

Tuesday, 9 May 2023

Questions (501)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

501. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the value of cross-Border agriculture trade in each of the past five years; and the measures being considered to boost cross-Border agriculture trade both to and from the North of Ireland. [21418/23]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The table below sets out the total value of agri-food trade between Ireland and Northern Ireland for the five year period 2018-2022.

Value of Agri-food Trade – Ireland-Northern Ireland 2018-2022

Year	Exports to Northern IrelandValue€million	Imports from Northern IrelandValue€million
2018	1,103	1,065
2019	1,118	998
2020	1,115	1,011
2021	1,656	1,424
2022	1,976	1,819

The overall value of trade - both in terms of imports from and exports to Northern Ireland - has increased significantly over this period. This increase in trade has taken place despite a period of uncertainty associated with the UK's decision to exit the European Union.

The positive trend in Ireland-Northern Ireland trade in agri-food goods underlines the importance of the positive outcome secured to the EU-UK Brexit negotiations. Specifically, the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) and the Ireland-Northern Ireland Protocol of the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement have ensured that Northern Ireland has retained access to the EU Single Market, which has been critical to the continued growth in trade between Ireland and Northern Ireland.

The Government will continue to insist that both the EU-UK TCA and the Northern Ireland Protocol via the Windsor Framework are implemented in full, which will help to ensure that trade in agri-food goods on the island of Ireland continues to develop positively.

Agri-food Exports to Northern Ireland 2018 to 2022 - €Million

Category	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022
Dairy Produce	216	215	193	348	492
Animal Feed	113	133	150	219	240
Beef	198	176	170	198	224
Forestry & Wood products	95	102	91	137	146
Live Animals	80	91	114	132	139
Beverages	94	96	80	102	128
Cereal & cereal preparation	63	63	58	89	113
Pigmeat	62	52	54	99	106
Poultry	42	43	43	66	90
Miscellaneous Edible Products	24	20	23	60	67
Fruit & Vegetables	30	33	43	53	54
Other	86	93	96	154	176
Grand Total	1,103	1,118	1,115	1,656	1,976

Agrifood Imports from Northern Ireland 2018 to 2022 - €Million

Category	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022
Dairy Produce	292	257	230	325	521
Animal Feed	178	161	173	224	303
Beverages	200	184	197	224	282
Cereal & cereal preparation	61	67	67	123	118
Forestry & Wood products	51	56	55	99	97
Oils, Fats & Oleaginous Fruits	21	20	28	41	79
Beef	43	35	36	67	75
Fruit & Vegetables	23	40	35	55	56
Pigmeat	21	19	23	47	55
Live Animals	48	44	45	47	50
Other	126	115	119	173	182
Grand Total	1,065	998	1,011	1,424	1,819