Growth of 15% in the value of food and live animal exports from Ireland were the leading contributors to strong February trade statistics released this week by the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

Meat was the main driver, with the value of exports up 15% on the same month last year to €245m. This is based on a weekly kill which is consistently 5,000 ahead of last year on a weekly basis.

Miscellaneous edible products and preparations also had a strong month, growing 21% to a value of €151m. Dairy exports in February were 10% up on the same month last year, reaching €124m.

Meanwhile, at €26m, the value of live exports in February was 73% higher than the same month last year.

Changes

The data show interesting changes in the destination of Irish exports.

The UK, at 37%, remained the most valuable market for Irish food, but it is growing at only half the pace – 8% – of other markets.

Our second largest market category, the rest of the EU, is also growing below trend (7%). Non-EU world markets grew by 20% to €127m in February and accounted for 18% of the total food exports.

Exports of Irish food to China are showing encouraging growth, doubling from €25m in February 2013 to €50m this year. In percentage terms, the most rapid growth was in exports to the USA, which jumped 157%, from €7m to €18m.