Record driven by access to new market opportunities — and in spite of the geopolitical and trading tensions threatening turmoil in world markets
The strong export figures come despite geopolitical and trading tensions that have threatened to cause turmoil in world markets.
“A lot of commentary and attention is very focused on FDI [foreign direct investment] and the jobs provided in Ireland by foreign companies,” Minister Heydon told the Sunday Independent.
“Our indigenous sector sometimes gets overlooked. It employs over 171,000 people from 133,000 farm families and there are thousands of jobs in processing and the ‘value-added’ end of the sector too.”
Last year was a record year for food and drink exports at €19bn. But the first nine months of 2025 were up 13pc on last year at €15.7bn and Heydon believes the sector will this year surpass €20bn for the first time.
‘If we are just chasing a commodity market, trying to compete with Brazil on volumes of beef, we’re never going to be able to compete,’ the minister said
Increased market access for Irish beef and dairy was under discussion with a range of countries including Thailand, Japan, China, South Korea, Indonesia, Morocco, Costa Rica, Honduras, Colombia and Saudi Arabia, he said.
The EU’s trade agreement with Japan has facilitated an increase in Irish agri-food exports from €98m in 2017 to €172m in 2024 — largely due to dairy and pigmeat exports.
“The more market access we have, the more options there are for Irish food companies to go and get the best price.”
The whiskey sector has had a difficult year but Heydon sees big potential opportunities ahead, particularly in India with which the EU is progressing a trade deal.
“If we get that over the line, the opportunities for our whiskey sector are really, really significant.
“And in Canada, consumers have completely moved away from American produce overnight because of the tariff wars. We’ve met the Liquor Control Board of Ontario, who are the biggest customer there for our whiskey and they have absolutely identified market opportunities that Irish whiskey can meet.”
“Diversifying markets for our whiskey and spirit sector is really important,’ Mr Heydon said. Photo: via Getty
The CETA trade agreement between the EU and Canada has already boosted agri-food exports to Canada from €107m in 2017 to €169m in 2024. Irish whiskey and Irish Cream liqueur have been the main driver, with over €90m exported in 2024.
“Diversifying markets for our whiskey and spirit sector is really important, even while we continue to work across the EU in negotiations with the US for a return to zero-for-zero tariffs on spirits.”
But farmers on the ground face challenges, underlined by last week by a Teagasc economic report that predicted average dairy farm income in 2026 will fall to around €80,000 — down from an estimated €137,000 this year.
“Income volatility is a challenge,” said Heydon. “Irish dairy farmers very much deal with world prices and we have an oversupply of dairy produce from the US, meaning a predicted drop in dairy farm incomes next year compared to a record year this year.”
”It is all the more reason why we must redouble our efforts around the ‘value-added’ piece. If we are just chasing a commodity market, trying to compete with Brazil on volumes of beef, for example, we’re never going to be able to compete.
“The reason we are looking to open new markets is to insulate the farmer and our food companies and our co-ops from that income volatility,” he said.
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