The Bord Bia Export Performance and Prospects Report is Bord Bia’s flagship annual publication that analyses the performance of Ireland’s food, drink, and horticulture exports for the previous year and outlines prospects for the year ahead. It is compiled by Bord Bia’s Strategic Insight team and sector specialists, covering:
Export Value & Volume Trends: Detailed breakdown by category (meat, dairy, prepared consumer foods, drinks, seafood, horticulture).
Destination Analysis: Performance across key markets such as the UK, EU, North America, and Asia.
Macro Trends: External factors like inflation, geopolitical instability, climate impacts, and consumer behaviour shifts.
CEO Sentiment Survey: Gauges industry confidence and outlook.
Forward-Looking Prospects: Opportunities and risks for the coming year, including sustainability and market diversification strategies.
Key Highlights from the Latest Report (2025/26)
Irish food, drink, and horticulture exports reached a record €19 billion in 2025, up 12% year-on-year.
Growth was achieved despite volatile global conditions: geopolitical uncertainty, extreme weather, inflation, and shifting consumer trends.
Sectoral performance:
- Meat & Livestock: +18% to €5 billion, driven by beef price surges.
- Dairy: +14% to €7.3 billion, supported by strong milk production and improved prices.
- Prepared Consumer Foods: +9% to €3.6 billion, with strong UK demand.
- Drinks: Marginal growth (+2%) to €2 billion, amid US market challenges.
- Seafood: +9% to €635 million, though future quotas pose risks.
- Horticulture and cereals: +2% to €330 million, with exports to the UK up 7%.
Combined with non-edible agri-food products, total agri-food exports exceeded €21 billion, reinforcing the sector’s economic importance.
Export Performance & Prospects
The value of Ireland’s food, drink and horticulture exports increased by 12% in 2025 to reach a record €19 billion, according to Bord Bia’s Export Performance and Prospects Report 2025/26, published today.
This milestone performance was delivered amid one of the most volatile trading environments in recent years, shaped by geopolitical uncertainty, extreme weather events, persistent inflation, and shifting consumer behaviour. Despite these pressures, Irish exporters demonstrated strong resilience, with growth largely underpinned by higher prices across key categories, most notably beef and dairy.