Exports of food, drink up by 37%

FOOD and drink exports to Germany rose by 37.5% year on year in the first five months of this year, according to Bord Bia.

From January to May, Irish food exporters added €52 million to their sales total for the same period of 2010. This growth follows an overall 30% jump for 2010, when combined sales reached €398m.

Ireland’s national food promotion body unveiled these impressive figures yesterday at Anuga, the world’s largest trade fair which continues in Cologne, Germany, until tomorrow. Some 23 Irish food and drink companies — including Dawn Meats, Ashbourne Meats, Kepak, Cahill’s Farm and Slaney Foods — are among the 6,700 exhibitors from 95 countries meeting with 164,000 trade visitors from 174 countries.