Irish food and drink exports to the Middle East reports an all-time high valued at AED 1.4bln

Irish food and drink exports to the Middle East reports an all-time high valued at AED 1.4bln

- The Middle East Food and Beverage Export Performance figures for 2022 were released during Gulfood by Jim O ‘Toole newly appointed CEO of Bord Bia, the Irish Food Board

- Irish food and drink exports to the Middle East boosted by 10%, with UAE experiencing a sharp increase of 49% compared to 2021

- Valuing high-quality products, Saudi Arabia, and UAE account for 50% of current Irish food and drink trade in the region

Dubai, United Arab Emirates: Despite the disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the Middle East has continued to strengthen its trade relationship with Ireland. In 2022 exports of Irish food and drink to the region totalled 1.4 billion AED, an increase of 10% compared to the previous year. The United Arab Emirates (UAE)imported Irish food and drink goods worth 367mn AED; a 49% increase from last year.

Price inflations across supply chain following the Russia-Ukraine conflict have affected various aspect of food and drink exports globally, however, Bord Bia (the Irish Food Board) has reported an increase in the volume of goods exported with a record-breaking global increase of 25% in 2022, totalling 66 bn AED.

The Middle East figures were revealed by Jim O’Toole, the newly appointed Chief Executive