Ireland produces food products to the value of €16 billion and remains a net exporter of food and drink with exports valued at almost €7.6 billion and imports, mainly from within the EU, worth some €4.5 billion, leaving an estimated food trade surplus figure of €3.044 billion in 2005. The following table* shows the value of production of meat and vegetables over the last ten years. (Account is not taken of the change in the CAP support systems from market supports to direct payments).
Year
|
Cattle
|
Pigs
|
Sheep
|
Poultry
|
Potatoes
|
Mushrooms
|
Other fresh vegetables
|
|
Éirestát Code
|
|
ASFA1105
|
ASFA1110
|
ASFA1115
|
ASFA1125
|
ASFA1330
|
ASFA1345
|
ASFA1340
|
|
€m
|
€m
|
€m
|
€m
|
€m
|
€m
|
€m
|
1994
|
1,614.0
|
264.5
|
230.2
|
134.6
|
127.7
|
76.3
|
137.6
|
1995
|
1,659.1
|
295.4
|
190.7
|
133.7
|
130.5
|
78.0
|
135.2
|
1996
|
1,482.7
|
356.5
|
241.8
|
140.4
|
94.7
|
92.3
|
160.1
|
1997
|
1,382.6
|
337.0
|
230.0
|
149.1
|
52.6
|
101.9
|
161.0
|
1998
|
1,385.0
|
282.6
|
214.0
|
142.2
|
103.1
|
106.7
|
167.8
|
1999
|
1,330.7
|
251.4
|
198.0
|
137.8
|
118.0
|
111.4
|
170.7
|
2000
|
1,382.1
|
296.7
|
203.4
|
124.0
|
58.7
|
114.8
|
188.9
|
2001
|
1,260.3
|
345.8
|
284.3
|
137.4
|
98.1
|
115.6
|
198.3
|
2002
|
1,179.0
|
300.7
|
202.1
|
134.9
|
96.5
|
137.7
|
211.1
|
2003
|
1,244.0
|
283.1
|
193.2
|
137.2
|
98.7
|
124.5
|
203.2
|
2004
|
1,344.6
|
301.0
|
203.2
|
149.1
|
91.2
|
108.2
|
192.4
|
* Source: Central Statistics Office.
I do not believe that Ireland has any cause for concern about food security. We are self sufficient in the major food products with self-sufficiency in meat overall at over 270%, (beef and veal alone 820%), drinking milk and cream close to 100%, cheese, milk powder and butter at 436%, 958% and 1,042% respectively, principal cereals at 90%. While we are net importers of fruit and vegetable, this largely reflects a demand for varied produce from EU and other markets rather than a deficit in potential production capacity.