Irish beef exports between January and April 2024 were 164,132 tonnes, the highest volume for the first four months of the year in the past five years and almost 10,000t more than in the same period last year (see Figure 1).

This reflects the fact that the national kill has also been up this year. Bord Bia data to 15 June shows that factory throughput was 812,584 head, some 11,534 or 2% more than in the same period in 2023.

As always, the UK is the biggest export market for Irish beef. In the first four months of the year, 77,164t went to that market, up from 75,436t in the same period last year.

Volumes to the EU also increased to 71,660t, up from 69,322t in the same period last year. The biggest percentage improvement was to North America, though this was from a tiny base of 660t last year, increasing to 1,878t in the first four months of this year.

This is mainly to the USA where there has been a surge in beef imports because of scarcity in domestic supply with the US herd at the beginning of this year falling to the lowest level since 1950.

In the other minor markets, there has been increase in Asia, but significant decline in exports to the Middle East. Hong Kong took 2,609t and the Philippines took 3,549t.

Despite the reopening of the mainland Chinese market at the beginning of the year following the BSE suspension, exports to that market have been negligible.

Analysis

The UK continues to be Ireland's top export market for beef and continues year on year to take almost half of total exports.

Again, as has been the case, the EU takes most of the rest and while exports to the rest of the world increased marginally year on year, the realty is that just 10% of Irish beef exports were outside these markets in the first four months of 2024.

The reality is that the UK is a preferred market for Irish exporters because of proximity and a shared language and similar culture.

This is further enhanced by the fact that so much Irish beef comes from processors that are also well established in the UK.

The UK now has options through trade deals with Australia and New Zealand, but while both will in time increase their presence in the market, the reality is that geography will always favour Ireland in that market.

Mainland Europe is the next best option and it has been a strong importer this year, as production has been slipping in recent years, while demand is remaining fairly robust.

The problem with wider global markets is that there is an abundance of supply from South America and Australia at present at a much lower price than European production.

This is satisfying import requirements in Asia and the US and while there is always ambition to grow these markets, the reality is that we sell much less in them than we did five years ago.