The agri-food sector workforce fell by 8,600 in one year, according to the Department of Agriculture’s annual report for 2019.
The sector accounts for 7.1% of total employment, or 164,400 jobs in rural and coastal areas.
The average number employed in primary agriculture, forestry and fishing dropped by 6,400 between 2018 and 2019. There was a further drop of 2,200 persons employed in the manufacture of food and beverages.
Changing trends
A spokesperson for the Department told the Irish Farmers Journal: “As more jobs are created in the economy, more of those employed in primary agriculture tend to avail of part-time work, which may result in their main employment changing from the agri-food sector to another sector.
“The drop in persons employed in the manufacture of food and beverages in 2019 may reflect ongoing automation and greater use of technology within the sector.”
According to the CSO, the numbers of farms in the country is 137,500 and this number has remained relatively stable over the past decade or more.
Exports
Agri-food exports grew by 5.8% in 2019, amounting to €14.5bn, and accounted for 9.5% of Ireland’s total exports.
The UK remained Ireland’s largest agri-food destination, with exports of €5.5bn in 2019.
Figures show the proportion of total agri-food exports that went to the UK declined by 2.6% last year.
Exports to the EU grew by 6.8% and were worth €4.7bn, while exports to the rest of the world grew by 16.2% and were worth €4.3bn in 2019.
The top three export categories in 2019 were dairy produce, up 8.7% to €5bn, beef, down 4.2% at €2.3bn, and beverages, up 21.4% to €1.7bn.
Department activities
Minister McConalogue’s department was responsible for voted expenditure of over €1.641bn in 2019.
In addition to voted expenditure, the Department spent €1.25bn in European agricultural guarantee fund (EAGF) schemes, bringing total expenditure to €2.8bn, similar to 2018 figures.
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The agri-food sector workforce fell by 8,600 in one year, according to the Department of Agriculture’s annual report for 2019.
The sector accounts for 7.1% of total employment, or 164,400 jobs in rural and coastal areas.
The average number employed in primary agriculture, forestry and fishing dropped by 6,400 between 2018 and 2019. There was a further drop of 2,200 persons employed in the manufacture of food and beverages.
Changing trends
A spokesperson for the Department told the Irish Farmers Journal: “As more jobs are created in the economy, more of those employed in primary agriculture tend to avail of part-time work, which may result in their main employment changing from the agri-food sector to another sector.
“The drop in persons employed in the manufacture of food and beverages in 2019 may reflect ongoing automation and greater use of technology within the sector.”
According to the CSO, the numbers of farms in the country is 137,500 and this number has remained relatively stable over the past decade or more.
Exports
Agri-food exports grew by 5.8% in 2019, amounting to €14.5bn, and accounted for 9.5% of Ireland’s total exports.
The UK remained Ireland’s largest agri-food destination, with exports of €5.5bn in 2019.
Figures show the proportion of total agri-food exports that went to the UK declined by 2.6% last year.
Exports to the EU grew by 6.8% and were worth €4.7bn, while exports to the rest of the world grew by 16.2% and were worth €4.3bn in 2019.
The top three export categories in 2019 were dairy produce, up 8.7% to €5bn, beef, down 4.2% at €2.3bn, and beverages, up 21.4% to €1.7bn.
Department activities
Minister McConalogue’s department was responsible for voted expenditure of over €1.641bn in 2019.
In addition to voted expenditure, the Department spent €1.25bn in European agricultural guarantee fund (EAGF) schemes, bringing total expenditure to €2.8bn, similar to 2018 figures.
Read more
Budget 2021: REPS scheme one step closer
Budget 2021: no return for Knowledge Transfer group schemes
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