Unadjusted goods exports were €17.6 billion in October 2023, virtually the same value as October last year.
Unadjusted goods imports were €10.8 billion, which was €1.7 billion less than imports in October 2022.
Seasonally adjusted goods exports were €17.8 billion in October 2023.
Seasonally adjusted goods imports were €10.6 billion in October 2023, down €1 billion compared with September 2023.
Exports to Great Britain were €1.2 billion in October 2023, while imports from Great Britain were €1.5 billion.
| Table A Goods Exports and Imports seasonally adjusted | €million | ||
| Exports | Imports | Surplus | |
| September 2023 | 15,674 | 11,546 | 4,128 |
| October 2023 | 17,845 | 10,556 | 7,289 |
| Value change | 2,171 | -990 | 3,161 |
| % change | 13.8 | -8.6 | 76.6 |
Seasonally adjusted goods exports grew by €2,171 million (+14%) to €17,845 million in October 2023 compared with September 2023, according to preliminary figures.
Seasonally adjusted goods imports fell by €990 million (-9%) to €10,556 million leading to an increase of €3,161 million (+77%) in the seasonally adjusted trade surplus to €7,289 million in October 2023 compared with September 2023 (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 | October 2022 - 2023 | January - October 2022 - 2023 | ||||||||
| 2022 | 2023 | Value change | % change | 2022 | 2023 | Value change | % change | |||
| Exports | ||||||||||
| Total | 17,566 | 17,637 | 71 | 0 | 176,327 | 166,749 | -9,578 | -5 | ||
| Great Britain | 1,634 | 1,152 | -482 | -29 | 14,452 | 14,997 | 545 | 4 | ||
| Northern Ireland | 446 | 481 | 35 | 8 | 4,126 | 4,113 | -13 | 0 | ||
| EU27 | 6,587 | 7,698 | 1,111 | 17 | 67,658 | 69,317 | 1,659 | 2 | ||
| USA | 5,307 | 4,878 | -428 | -8 | 53,680 | 45,946 | -7,735 | -14 | ||
| Rest of World | 3,591 | 3,426 | -165 | -5 | 36,411 | 32,377 | -4,034 | -11 | ||
| Imports | ||||||||||
| Total | 12,508 | 10,831 | -1,676 | -13 | 116,309 | 112,946 | -3,363 | -3 | ||
| Great Britain | 2,775 | 1,478 | -1,297 | -47 | 20,217 | 18,292 | -1,925 | -10 | ||
| Northern Ireland | 403 | 484 | 81 | 20 | 4,378 | 4,252 | -126 | -3 | ||
| EU27 | 4,106 | 3,476 | -631 | -15 | 34,077 | 38,302 | 4,225 | 12 | ||
| USA | 1,799 | 1,734 | -65 | -4 | 18,683 | 17,425 | -1,259 | -7 | ||
| Rest of World | 3,425 | 3,660 | 236 | 7 | 38,953 | 34,674 | -4,279 | -11 | ||
The (unadjusted) value of goods exports grew by €71 million (+0.4%) to €17,637 million in October 2023 compared with October 2022. The value of goods exports for the period January to October 2023 was down by €9,578 million (-5%) to €166,749 million, when compared with the same period of 2022.
The (unadjusted) value of goods imports decreased by €1,676 million (-13%) to €10,831 million in October 2023 compared with October 2022. The value of goods imports for the first ten months of 2023 decreased by €3,363 million (-3%) to €112,946 million, when compared with the same period of 2022.
Exports to Great Britain were €1,152 million, which was 7% of total exports in October 2023. The products which accounted for the largest share of exports were Food & Live Animals with €351 million and Machinery & Transport Equipment with €268 million. Exports to Great Britain for January to October 2023 increased by €545 million (+4%) to €14,997 million when compared with the first ten months of 2022.
Imports from Great Britain in October 2023 were €1,478 million, which was 14% of the total value of imports. Imports of Chemicals & Related Products accounted for €285 million, Machinery & Transport Equipment at €266 million and imports of Mineral Fuels, Lubricants & Related Materials were valued at €271 million. Imports from Great Britain in the first ten months of 2023 decreased by €1,925 million (-10%) to €18,292 million (See Table 5).
The EU accounted for €7,698 million (44%) of total goods exports in October 2023, of which €2,275 million went to Germany €1,737 million went to the Netherlands and €1,307 million went to Belgium.
The USA was the main non-EU destination accounting for €4,878 million (28%) of total exports in October 2023 (See Table 4).
| X-axis label | EU 27 | Rest of World | UK | US |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2022 | 6.27284031153645 | 2.796754711 | 1.7511570091017 | 5.244730516 |
| Feb 2022 | 6.30266338054554 | 3.34921348 | 1.39027186944102 | 4.825347098 |
| Mar 2022 | 7.03146794756404 | 4.00169138399999 | 1.83317511357736 | 7.400502251 |
| Apr 2022 | 6.42002674605994 | 3.360673459 | 1.93709378628622 | 5.490089082 |
| May 2022 | 6.2983702194085 | 4.39532270599999 | 1.83022262751538 | 5.390377409 |
| Jun 2022 | 6.34773818352154 | 3.868853871 | 2.40887348009257 | 5.086599753 |
| 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 | 3.109313866 | 1.59205177242982 | 4.433765332 |
| Jan 2023 | 7.00166929718193 | 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 | 6.96595446679979 | 3.53883352100002 | 2.0549038286479 | 4.093418994 |
| Jun 2023 | 6.65948844772672 | 3.244981578 | 2.73913948782134 | 5.694475768 |
| Jul 2023 | 6.56423718753898 | 2.92379787700001 | 2.2622586395755 | 4.051062666 |
| Aug 2023 | 6.16171303872621 | 3.196161201 | 1.7155097587286 | 5.107306858 |
| Sep 2023 | 7.08986143398138 | 2.987962531 | 1.60411600701267 | 4.33656717 |
| Oct 2023 | 7.69843912676209 | 3.426427556 | 1.63330984389251 | 4.878499289 |
| X-axis label | EU 27 | Rest of World | UK | US |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2022 | 2.63674905237381 | 3.26110862417221 | 2.14244990593779 | 1.31652224622383 |
| Feb 2022 | 2.79170509949076 | 2.90574911702911 | 1.9362272411329 | 1.43438147581768 |
| Mar 2022 | 3.14827285263081 | 4.14074180141705 | 2.38788087199404 | 2.33093602471201 |
| Apr 2022 | 3.50820880534995 | 3.47566700004536 | 2.42535617848881 | 1.87450129891659 |
| May 2022 | 3.63431123344235 | 5.04974529734677 | 2.39913877867239 | 2.18781775376064 |
| Jun 2022 | 3.70567560725347 | 4.64475699263232 | 2.60061488293834 | 1.87929043009657 |
| Jul 2022 | 3.13287526703743 | 3.97767827704352 | 2.28953937000186 | 1.30211393590302 |
| 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 | 4.53533522838145 | 3.87919934498645 | 2.35469298147492 | 1.80623668992089 |
| Jan 2023 | 2.88128591209521 | 3.85484855996731 | 2.95404147862947 | 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 | 4.33019465996712 | 4.27285120643109 | 1.93268875616637 | 1.84803210288846 |
| Jun 2023 | 4.79911995219219 | 3.41034564574952 | 2.14872020491104 | 2.07044587919023 |
| Jul 2023 | 3.8319216905229 | 3.489147390284 | 2.08501880770258 | 1.4407314433814 |
| Aug 2023 | 3.03482120751397 | 3.18939540963543 | 2.28112259396132 | 1.38263483011316 |
| Sep 2023 | 3.42098773414742 | 3.38908147191301 | 2.21339077622132 | 2.18533284529302 |
| Oct 2023 | 3.47576945823552 | 3.6604467010876 | 1.96139459792893 | 1.73365387303503 |
Exports of Medical & Pharmaceutical Products increased by €1,027 million (+16%) to €7,606 million in October 2023 compared with October 2022. This represented 43% of total exports.
Exports of Organic Chemicals decreased by €758 million (-23%) to €2,511 million.
Exports of Electrical Machinery, Apparatus & Appliances fell by €605 million (-46%) to €699 million.
Exports of Professional, Scientific & Controlling Apparatus grew by €126 million (+17%) to €870 million (See Table 3).
Imports of Mineral Fuels, Lubricants & Related Materials decreased by €651 million (-47%) to €720 million in October 2023 compared with October 2022.
Imports of Other transport equipment, including aircraft fell by €606 million (-42%) to €845 million.
Imports of Electrical Machinery, Apparatus & Appliances fell by €220 million (-24%) to €681 million.
Imports of Organic Chemicals decreased by €246 million (-17%) to €1,229 million. (See Table 3).
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Statistician's Comment
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has today (15 December 2023) released Goods Exports and Imports October 2023.
Commenting on the release, Ciarán Counihan, Statistician in the International Trade in Goods Division said: “In October 2023, Ireland’s unadjusted exports of goods increased by €71 million to €17.6 billion when compared with October 2022. Seasonally adjusted exports were €17.8 billion in October 2023.
The unadjusted imports for October 2023 were valued at €10.8 billion, a fall of €1.7 billion on October 2022. When seasonally adjusted, imports of goods decreased by €1 billion when compared with September 2023.
Comparing the first 10 months of 2023 with the same period in 2022, exports of goods were down 5%, and the value of imports fell by 3%. Exports for the first 10 months of 2023 were €167 billion.
Imports from Great Britain fell by 47% to €1.5 billion in October 2023 when compared with October 2022, and the largest drop was in the imports of Mineral Fuels, Lubricants & Related Materials which were down by 72%.
Exports to Great Britain fell by 29% to €1.2 billion in October 2023 when compared with October 2022, and the largest decrease of 75% was in the exports of Chemicals & Related Products.”