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Exports of goods increased by 8% in the first eight months of 2024 compared with 2023, with a value of over €143 billion.
Chemicals & Related Products made up almost two-thirds of the value of exports.
Ireland’s exports of goods in August 2024 were €17.3 billion.
Imports have fallen by almost €4 billion in the period from January to August 2024.
Imports in August 2024 were over €11 billion, an increase of 8% compared with August 2023.
Seasonally adjusted exports were valued at €17.8 billion in August 2024, up over €300 million.
| Table A Goods Exports and Imports seasonally adjusted | €million | ||
| Exports | Imports | Surplus | |
| July 2024 | 17,472 | 11,816 | 5,656 |
| August 2024 | 17,800 | 12,263 | 5,536 |
| Value change | 328 | 447 | -119 |
| % change | 1.9 | 3.8 | -2.1 |
Seasonally adjusted goods exports grew by €328 million (+2%) to €17,800 million in August 2024 compared with July 2024, according to preliminary figures.
Seasonally adjusted goods imports increased by €447 million (+4%) to €12,263 million leading to a decrease of €119 million (-2%) in the seasonally adjusted trade surplus to €5,536 million in August 2024 compared with July 2024 (See Table 2). Seasonal adjustment compares month-to-month data by removing fluctuations that may occur due to seasonal patterns in trade.
| Table B Share of Goods Exports and Imports by region | €million | |||||||||
| Unadjusted | August 2023 - 2024 | January - August 2023 - 2024 | ||||||||
| 2023 | 2024 | Value change | % change | 2023 | 2024 | Value change | % change | |||
| Exports | ||||||||||
| Total | 16,106 | 17,315 | 1,208 | 8 | 132,828 | 143,145 | 10,317 | 8 | ||
| Great Britain | 1,283 | 1,209 | -74 | -6 | 12,575 | 10,772 | -1,803 | -14 | ||
| Northern Ireland | 412 | 406 | -5 | -1 | 3,212 | 3,353 | 141 | 4 | ||
| EU27 | 6,177 | 6,110 | -67 | -1 | 54,534 | 55,712 | 1,178 | 2 | ||
| USA | 5,119 | 6,660 | 1,541 | 30 | 36,725 | 45,570 | 8,846 | 24 | ||
| Rest of World | 3,117 | 2,930 | -187 | -6 | 25,782 | 27,737 | 1,955 | 8 | ||
| Imports | ||||||||||
| Total | 10,307 | 11,163 | 856 | 8 | 91,339 | 87,420 | -3,919 | -4 | ||
| Great Britain | 1,833 | 1,493 | -340 | -19 | 14,978 | 11,386 | -3,593 | -24 | ||
| Northern Ireland | 455 | 442 | -13 | -3 | 3,432 | 3,496 | 64 | 2 | ||
| EU27 | 3,185 | 3,957 | 772 | 24 | 31,556 | 32,000 | 444 | 1 | ||
| USA | 1,631 | 1,961 | 330 | 20 | 13,723 | 15,138 | 1,415 | 10 | ||
| Rest of World | 3,202 | 3,309 | 108 | 3 | 27,649 | 25,400 | -2,249 | -8 | ||
The (unadjusted) value of goods exports increased by €1,208 million (+8%) to €17,315 million in August 2024 compared with August 2023. The value of goods exports for the first eight months of 2024 grew by €10,317 million (+8%) to €143,145 million, when compared with the same period of 2023.
The (unadjusted) value of goods imports increased by €856 million (+8%) to €11,163 million in August 2024 compared with August 2023. The value of goods imports for the period January to August 2024 fell by €3,919 million (-4%) to €87,420 million, when compared with the same period of 2023.
Exports to Great Britain were €1,209 million, which was 7% of total exports in August 2024, a decrease of €74 million (-6%) when compared with August 2023. The products which accounted for the largest share of exports were Food & Live Animals with €326 million and Machinery & Transport Equipment at €309 million.
Imports from Great Britain in August 2024 were €1,493 million, which was 13% of the total value of imports. Imports of Mineral Fuels, Lubricants & Related Materials were valued at €441 million, and imports of Machinery & Transport Equipment accounted for €228 million. (See Table 5).
The EU accounted for €6,110 million (35%) of total goods exports in August 2024, of which €1,522 million went to Germany, €1,466 million went to Belgium, and €1,378 million went to the Netherlands.
The USA was the main non-EU destination accounting for €6,660 million (38%) of total exports in August 2024 (See Table 4).
| X-axis label | EU 27 | Rest of World | UK | US |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 2022 | 6.252539648654 | 3.33823685399999 | 1.57029484440219 | 3.745679746 |
| Aug 2022 | 8.5505963467939 | 3.623791805 | 1.92626849533277 | 5.286338789 |
| Sep 2022 | 7.59441998675093 | 4.085435417 | 1.84991809025405 | 5.904198153 |
| Oct 2022 | 6.58696172223077 | 3.591441143 | 2.08060789733065 | 5.306523683 |
| Nov 2022 | 6.88716979415636 | 3.18847492199999 | 2.0230150332706 | 5.032571309 |
| Dec 2022 | 5.99495427339276 | 3.213190133 | 1.59211622042982 | 4.503840011 |
| Jan 2023 | 7.00166929718186 | 2.92517220399999 | 1.7209164793019 | 3.849700567 |
| Feb 2023 | 7.42978453362456 | 3.45412363200001 | 1.66987909018109 | 4.160032732 |
| Mar 2023 | 7.22757806925556 | 3.76719638199999 | 2.12421141690795 | 5.6191061 |
| Apr 2023 | 6.51781193049492 | 2.91226385300001 | 1.58551572378062 | 4.155685568 |
| May 2023 | 6.91310535520124 | 3.53304737500002 | 2.06147354339916 | 4.093419028 |
| Jun 2023 | 6.69558330099911 | 3.238329714 | 2.7442516821165 | 5.694475768 |
| Jul 2023 | 6.57180988728802 | 2.83526778300001 | 2.18692851494005 | 4.033586402 |
| Aug 2023 | 6.17655946638319 | 3.116574302 | 1.69434464599053 | 5.118801198 |
| Sep 2023 | 7.1432334780805 | 2.903643321 | 1.56317175363387 | 4.236656503 |
| Oct 2023 | 7.63339434249322 | 3.40484962199999 | 1.64463124206927 | 4.829457856 |
| Nov 2023 | 6.71695747925971 | 3.209520098 | 2.16808554975771 | 3.978017765 |
| Dec 2023 | 5.15277832090553 | 3.10941046500001 | 1.24291046102349 | 4.264824889 |
| Jan 2024 | 7.09003372867379 | 3.43871553145999 | 1.95925561752101 | 6.471491266 |
| Feb 2024 | 7.21803935762676 | 2.95315612294 | 1.60906028133623 | 4.15682019 |
| Mar 2024 | 6.91132261984645 | 4.41511363996999 | 2.21415527658871 | 5.119123195 |
| Apr 2024 | 7.69228984538745 | 3.53391897315999 | 1.75018843869135 | 6.602513295 |
| May 2024 | 7.05639613112869 | 3.50401657637999 | 1.76274383527978 | 5.696482235 |
| Jun 2024 | 6.24708436530726 | 3.29272783039999 | 1.53338234396328 | 5.695378181 |
| Jul 2024 | 7.38743118841328 | 3.66940870829 | 1.68184007285761 | 5.168442515 |
| Aug 2024 | 6.1096308483517 | 2.92958479096 | 1.61525407107212 | 6.660192782 |
| X-axis label | EU 27 | Rest of World | UK | US |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 2022 | 3.13287526703743 | 3.98483444404352 | 2.28953937000186 | 1.30213713090302 |
| Aug 2022 | 3.22470655490728 | 4.42266596614623 | 2.71722647683728 | 2.10920545319726 |
| Sep 2022 | 4.18791765441382 | 3.65020618602282 | 2.51928762735894 | 2.44974277170222 |
| Oct 2022 | 4.10630401530525 | 3.42453851520585 | 3.17778865553939 | 1.79897633135657 |
| Nov 2022 | 4.01826956910247 | 3.81420263511006 | 2.46985495786996 | 1.82583888094956 |
| Dec 2022 | 4.53533522838146 | 3.87751691779645 | 2.33585888054492 | 1.85196719394089 |
| Jan 2023 | 2.88128591209542 | 3.85484855996733 | 2.95404147862949 | 1.81484609051063 |
| Feb 2023 | 3.71055878151335 | 3.23485258166375 | 2.52779149987961 | 1.68600377733813 |
| Mar 2023 | 5.17418205576562 | 2.70981209370352 | 2.14894222506542 | 1.85297748577796 |
| Apr 2023 | 3.64331353534981 | 3.46314868868828 | 2.29139474153317 | 1.41027558021653 |
| May 2023 | 4.33302925051484 | 4.27754838066153 | 1.94619228218385 | 1.76135485548631 |
| Jun 2023 | 4.85906307578075 | 3.40974413051303 | 2.16026580306357 | 2.03181837988862 |
| Jul 2023 | 3.76947973348614 | 3.49776988734261 | 2.09283525447007 | 1.53456855119574 |
| Aug 2023 | 3.18510901224084 | 3.20153013312721 | 2.28888991675692 | 1.63142817341011 |
| Sep 2023 | 3.49244601522492 | 3.3715705897399 | 2.2138363475185 | 2.18538453939873 |
| Oct 2023 | 4.24108393869788 | 3.62489278627032 | 1.97545749959323 | 1.69124266706696 |
| Nov 2023 | 4.51516933476574 | 4.44452117527859 | 2.1962596070393 | 3.04034378656237 |
| Dec 2023 | 4.66243395236252 | 3.45849622608041 | 1.53375400447074 | 2.30869845012033 |
| Jan 2024 | 3.28326601472444 | 3.17818431423735 | 1.65384034020985 | 1.55450771668209 |
| Feb 2024 | 3.90615251323584 | 2.77069477173777 | 1.93155184586916 | 1.65048803014935 |
| Mar 2024 | 4.97964541086848 | 2.87590845764219 | 1.88537371778234 | 2.02851118294469 |
| Apr 2024 | 3.5942356533584 | 3.6625549141396 | 1.64674064924535 | 1.62636570733406 |
| May 2024 | 3.77125415135243 | 3.15995611798392 | 1.93771275660661 | 2.18503839506553 |
| Jun 2024 | 4.48501177007941 | 2.98839919875785 | 2.05085870387382 | 2.04739852690258 |
| Jul 2024 | 4.02339711056728 | 3.4551192451978 | 1.8404741808345 | 2.08452930539312 |
| Aug 2024 | 3.95670149610828 | 3.30948497487638 | 1.93540682699939 | 1.96108002250436 |
Exports of Medical & Pharmaceutical Products increased by €1,363 million (+20%) to €8,205 million in August 2024 compared with August 2023, accounting for 47% of total exports.
Exports of Organic Chemicals decreased by €160 million (-10%) to €1,518 million.
Exports of Electrical Machinery, Apparatus & Appliances grew by €402 million (+64%) to €1,025 million.
Exports of Professional, Scientific & Controlling Apparatus increased by €140 million (+19%) to €872 million. (See Table 3).
Imports of Office Machines & Automatic Data Processing Machines increased by €540 million (+153%) to €893 million in August 2024 compared with August 2023.
Imports of Organic Chemicals were down by €827 million (-70%) to €355 million.
Imports of Other Transport Equipment, including Aircraft increased by €276 million (+23%) to €1,488 million.
Imports of Professional, Scientific & Controlling Apparatus increased by €79 million (+34%) to €315 million. (See Table 3).
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Statistician's Comment
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has today (15 October 2024) released Goods Exports and Imports August 2024.
Commenting on the release, Ciarán Counihan, Statistician in the International Trade in Goods Division, said: “Ireland’s exports of goods increased by €10.3 billion in the first eight months of this year, while imports decreased by nearly €4 billion.
In August 2024, Ireland’s unadjusted exports of goods rose by €1.2 billion to €17.3 billion compared with August 2023. When seasonally adjusted, exports of goods grew by €328 million when compared with July 2024.
The unadjusted imports for August 2024 were valued at €11.2 billion, up more than €850 million on August 2023. Seasonally adjusted imports were €12.3 billion in August 2024.
Exports of Chemicals & Related Products increased by €6 billion in the first eight months of the year and accounted for almost two-thirds of all exports."