Irish agri-food exports increase in value by 65% in a decade

Irish agri-food exports achieved a record value of €19bn in 2024.

Irish agri-food exports achieved a record value of €19bn in 2024, a 65% increase on 2014 figures.

Following the announcement of the publication of the Annual Review and Outlook for Agriculture, Food and the Marine 2024-2025, it was revealed that agri-food exports experienced a 5% increase by value in 2023.

Commenting on the publication, minister of agriculture, Martin Heydon, said: "I am delighted to publish our Annual Review and Outlook, which highlights the critical contribution of the agriculture, food and marine sector to our economy. Agri-food is Ireland’s oldest and largest indigenous exporting sector, driving economic growth across the country and supporting thousands of jobs throughout our rural and coastal communities, as well as our villages, towns and cities.” 

Irish agri-food exports reach over 190 markets worldwide and account for 8.6% of Irish goods exported.

Dairy remained the largest Irish agri-food export category by value in 2024. Dairy exports were valued at €6.5bn, a consistent 2% increase year-on-year, exceeding €6bn for the third consecutive year.

Accounting for 34% of all agri-food exports, dairy was exported to over 140 countries, with butter reaching almost €1.7 billion and cheese exceeding €1 billion.

“Irish agri-food exports enjoy a deserved global reputation for excellence. In 2024, agri-food produce was exported to over 190 countries. Our three largest export categories by value were dairy, valued at €6.5 billion, beef, valued at €3.1 billion and beverages, valued at €2.2 billion,” continued the minister.

Irish beef exports reached a record high valued of €3.1bn, and has grown by 5% year-on-year. Beverage exports have also increased year-on-year, with an increase of 15% after being valued at €2.2bn.

The UK remains the number one destination by value for Irish agri-food exports at €7.3bn (38%), followed by the EU at €6.5bn (34%) and Rest of the World markets valued at €5.3bn (28%).

Notable market access successes outlined in the publication in recent years include beef access to South Korea (2024) and Thailand (2025), sheep meat to the United States (2020) and Algeria (2024), pig meat to Mexico (2020) and Malaysia (2022) and poultry to Malaysia (2025), together with expanded access to several markets, including Japan.

Seafood exports reached a value of €593m, an 8% increase on year-on-year figures for the sector. Fruit and vegetables have increased by 52% in year-on-year figures, with exports worth €253m. Prepared consumer foods equated to a value of €3.6bn, the third consecutive year that this niche has exceeded €3bn in value.

The agri-food sector employs 169,300 people as a main occupation, representing 6.1% of total employment in Ireland or 1 in 16 jobs nationwide, with higher proportions in rural and coastal areas. The Irish seafood sector employs over 16,800 people, both directly and indirectly.

Concluding, the minister said: “In 2024, over 169,300 people were employed in the sector across 133,000 farms, 2,000 fishing vessels and aquaculture sites and over 2,000 food production and beverage enterprises.

"The sector is responsible for 4.6 million hectares of agricultural land and over 808,000 hectares of forestry, representing some 76% of the total land in the State. Our people are critical to our ambition for Ireland to be a world leader in sustainable food systems, as outlined in Food Vision 2030, prioritising not only economic, but also environmental and social sustainability.”