The number of sheep imported in 2023 rose marginally year-on-year, recently released figures the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) have shown.
A total of 435,088 head of sheep were imported into the country last year, representing a rise of 12,928 head.
Import figures have not yet climbed to the heights that were reached in 2018, the last year that over 500,000 head of sheep were imported.
Year Quantity imported (no. of head) 2017 492,776 2018 521,798 2019 461,522 2020 446,107 2021 367,936 2022 422,160 2023 435,088
Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue what the number of live lamb imports into the State in each of the past ten years was.
While the minister provided data from 2017 onwards, McConalogue clarified that the DAFM “does not retain information on veterinary certification for imported sheep prior to 2017”.
Live sheep exports
The main export destination for live sheep exports from Ireland in 2023 was France, where 17,181 head of sheep were exported to, according to figures from the DAFM.
Belgium imported 4,011 head, followed by Holland with 3,865 head, and the UK with 3,448 head.
The overall tonnage of sheepmeat exported in 2023 was 64,154t, lower than the 66,273t exported in 2022.
Year Volume (metric tonnes) 2014 44,448 2015 47,993 2016 55,623 2017 62,185 2018 59,608 2019 60,220 2020 63,971 2021 58,225 2022 66,273 2023 64,154 Total tonnage 2014-23 582,700
The total volume exported for the period since 2014 is 582,701t yielding an annual average of 58,270t.
Therefore, the last two years have seen export figures rise above the average annual figures.
Exports of Irish sheepmeat were worth over €440 million in 2023, which is a 7% decline when compared to 2022.
Higher input costs and difficult production conditions affected the quality of lambs presented for processing in 2023, which Bord Bia said contributed to the reduction in the value of sheepmeat exports.
The European Union (EU) market remained the primary outlet for Irish sheepmeat, accounting for almost three quarters of sheepmeat exports in both value and volume terms.
Sheepmeat exports to the EU were valued at €325 million in 2023, which Bord Bia said is a 7% decline from the export values in 2022.
France remains the largest market for Irish sheepmeat, with exports valued at €135 million, back 9% on 2022 levels.
However, Bord Bia said there were declines in the value of exports to Germany, Sweden, Belgium and Italy.