Ireland’s Main Imports by Top Supplier Countries

/ By Country / By

An island located in the North Atlantic Ocean close to the United Kingdom, Ireland imported US$422.6 billion worth of products from around the globe during 2020. That dollar amount reflects a -11% reduction from $475 billion in 2019.

This article presents a quick reference snapshot of Ireland’s main imported products in 2020, categorized by dollar amount and major trading partners.

Ireland is comprised of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland; the latter belongs to the United Kingdom. Ireland is Europe’s second-most populated island after England.

Data is organized by overall metrics then drill down to the most valuable Irish imports during 2020 for each of Ireland’s top 10 supplier countries. Those leading trading partners accounted for well over three-quarters (78.4%) of total Irish import purchases.

Product categories shown summarize calculations at the two-digit Harmonized System code level. Two-digit codes enable higher-level insights and trends for Irish imports and each of the top supplier countries.

Ireland’s Main Imports from the UK

In 2020, United Kingdom’s exports to Ireland amounted to $22.5 billion or 22.9% of overall Irish imports.

That dollar amount represents a -1.3% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 61.9% of Ireland’s imports from Britain.

  1. Mineral fuels including oil: $2.1 billion
  2. Machinery: $1.8 billion
  3. Electronic equipment: $1.5 billion
  4. Pharmaceuticals: $1.3 billion
  5. Plastics: $981.4 million
  6. Vehicles: $948 million
  7. Medical, technical equipment: $859 million
  8. Aircraft, spacecraft: $793.7 million
  9. Cereal, milk preparations: $623.8 million
  10. Dairy, eggs, honey: $608.8 million
  11. Iron or steel products: $602.5 million
  12. Paper: $556.2 million
  13. Beverages: $537.5 million
  14. Other food preparations: $414.1 million
  15. Live animals: $382.7 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Irish imports from the United Kingdom under the aircraft and spacecraft product category via a 732.2% gain in revenue, medical or technical equipment (up 56.2%), pharmaceuticals (up 43.8%), live animals (up 31.3%), products made from iron or steel (up 27.3%) and electronic equipment (up 21.2%).

Posting the severest declines among Ireland’s top 15 imported products were mineral fuels including oil (down -36.6%), machinery (down -20.5%) then vehicles (down -17.3%).

Ireland’s Main Imports from the US

In 2020, the United States’ exports to Ireland amounted to $14.8 billion or 15.1% of overall Irish imports.

That dollar amount represents a -5.6% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 94.4% of Ireland’s imports from America.

  1. Aircraft, spacecraft: $3.5 billion
  2. Pharmaceuticals: $3.3 billion
  3. Machinery: $2.7 billion
  4. Medical, technical equipment: $1 billion
  5. Mineral fuels including oil: $874.5 million
  6. Electronic equipment: $631.4 million
  7. Plastics: $516.5 million
  8. Organic chemicals: $432.3 million
  9. Other chemical goods: $247 million
  10. Perfumes, cosmetics: $180.1 million
  11. Photo/cinematographic goods: $158 million
  12. Food waste, animal fodder: $133 million
  13. Inorganic chemicals: $100.4 million
  14. Iron or steel products: $72.9 million
  15. Gems, precious metals: $71 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Irish imports from the United States under the machinery product category via a 53% gain in revenue, miscellaneous chemical goods (up 30.7%), organic chemicals (up 24.3%) and pharmaceuticals (up 17.8%).

Posting the severest declines among Ireland’s top 15 imported products were aircraft and spacecraft (down -35%), gems and precious metals (down -34.4%), mineral fuels including oil (down -29.9%), food waste and animal fodder (down -25.3%), perfumes and cosmetics (down -15.4%) then photo or cinematographic goods (down -11.4%).

Ireland’s Main Imports from France

In 2020, France’s exports to Ireland amounted to $10.9 billion or 11.1% of overall Irish imports.

That dollar amount represents a -20.9% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 94.1% of Ireland’s imports from France.

  1. Aircraft, spacecraft: $6.6 billion
  2. Organic chemicals: $1.3 billion
  3. Machinery: $646.8 million
  4. Vehicles: $481.7 million
  5. Pharmaceuticals: $363.5 million
  6. Beverages: $142.3 million
  7. Plastics: $135.1 million
  8. Medical, technical equipment: $103.3 million
  9. Perfumes, cosmetics: $95 million
  10. Electronic equipment: $87.1 million
  11. Live animals: $76.7 million
  12. Food waste, animal fodder: $60.5 million
  13. Sugar: $54.3 million
  14. Dairy, eggs, honey: $52.2 million
  15. Cereal, milk preparations: $48 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Irish imports from France under the live animals product category via a 308.2% gain in revenue, machinery (up 163.3%), organic chemicals (up 90%), food waste and animal fodder (up 39%), sugar (up 17%) and beverages (up 16.6%).

Posting the severest declines among Ireland’s top 15 imported products were aircraft and spacecraft (down -36.5%), medical or technical equipment (down -24.4%), perfumes and cosmetics (down -20.8%), vehicles (down -15.3%) then plastics as materials (down -12.1%).

Ireland’s Main Imports from Germany

In 2020, Germany’s exports to Ireland amounted to $7.8 billion or 7.9% of overall Irish imports.

That dollar amount represents a -7.3% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 81% of Ireland’s imports from Germany.

  1. Pharmaceuticals: $1.22 billion
  2. Machinery: $1.16 billion
  3. Vehicles: $991.9 million
  4. Aircraft, spacecraft: $981 million
  5. Electronic equipment: $398.3 million
  6. Medical, technical equipment: $376.2 million
  7. Plastics: $301.2 million
  8. Organic chemicals: $177.5 million
  9. Cereal, milk preparations: $140.8 million
  10. Fruits, nuts: $106.6 million
  11. Gems, precious metals: $95.4 million
  12. Dairy, eggs, honey: $93.5 million
  13. Iron or steel products: $91.6 million
  14. Other chemical goods: $75.3 million
  15. Aluminum: $72.9 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Irish imports from Germany under the cereal or milk preparations product category via a 27.9% gain in revenue, pharmaceuticals (up 24.4%) then fruits and nuts (up 18%).

Posting the severest declines among Ireland’s top 15 imported products were aircraft and spacecraft (down -29.4%), machinery (down -18.9%), gems and precious metals (down -18.2%), electronic equipment (down -14.3%) and aluminum (down -11.4%).

Ireland’s Main Imports from China

In 2020, China’s exports to Ireland amounted to $7 billion or 7.1% of overall Irish imports.

That dollar amount represents a 22.7% gain compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 88.3% of Ireland’s imports from the mainland China.

  1. Machinery: $1.7 billion
  2. Electronic equipment: $1.5 billion
  3. Clothing (not knit or crochet): $522.7 million
  4. Organic chemicals: $426.2 million
  5. Toys, games: $284.8 million
  6. Furniture, lighting, signs: $274.5 million
  7. Knit or crochet clothing: $239.7 million
  8. Other textiles, worn clothing: $232.7 million
  9. Aircraft, spacecraft: $218.5 million
  10. Medical, technical equipment: $216.2 million
  11. Plastics: $184.7 million
  12. Iron or steel products: $113.5 million
  13. Footwear: $111.7 million
  14. Rubber: $80.5 million
  15. Vehicles: $67.4 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Irish imports from China under the aircraft and spacecraft product category via a 1,317% gain in revenue, miscellaneous textiles including worn clothing (up 367.4%) then unknitted and non-crocheted clothing (up 143%).

Posting the severest declines among Ireland’s top 15 imported products were footwear (down -26%), knitted and crocheted clothing (down -10.7%) then products made from iron or steel (down -10.5%).

Ireland’s Main Imports from Switzerland

In 2020, Switzerland’s exports to Ireland amounted to $4.7 billion or 4.8% of overall Irish imports.

That dollar amount represents a 96.2% gain compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 99.4% of Ireland’s imports from Switzerland.

  1. Organic chemicals: $3.9 billion
  2. Medical, technical equipment: $200.4 million
  3. Pharmaceuticals: $166.5 million
  4. Clocks, watches: $156.5 million
  5. Machinery: $84.3 million
  6. Aircraft, spacecraft: $42 million
  7. Electronic equipment: $26.8 million
  8. Perfumes, cosmetics: $24.4 million
  9. Beverages: $21.8 million
  10. Coffee, tea, spices: $21.7 million
  11. Plastics: $20.8 million
  12. Gems, precious metals: $7.1 million
  13. Food waste, animal fodder: $5.1 million
  14. Iron or steel products: $4.5 million
  15. Base metal tools, cutlery: $3.3 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Irish imports from Switzerland under the aircraft and spacecraft product category via a 3,982% gain in revenue, food waste and animal fodder (up 649.9%), clocks and watches (up 466.2%), gems and precious metals (up 408.2%), organic chemicals (up 112.6%) then medical or technical equipment (up 35.7%).

Posting the severest declines among Ireland’s top 15 imported products were coffee, tea and spices (down -15.8%) then perfumes and cosmetics (down -14.8%).

Ireland’s Main Imports from Netherlands

In 2020, the Netherlands’ exports to Ireland amounted to $3.5 billion or 3.5% of overall Irish imports.

That dollar amount represents a -1% drop compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 73.7% of Ireland’s imports from the Netherlands.

  1. Pharmaceuticals: $468.3 million
  2. Machinery: $369.4 million
  3. Electronic equipment: $296.9 million
  4. Plastics: $174.4 million
  5. Mineral fuels including oil: $166.4 million
  6. Other chemical goods: $147.3 million
  7. Animal/vegetable fats and oils: $140.5 million
  8. Medical, technical equipment: $137.8 million
  9. Meat: $123.4 million
  10. Organic chemicals: $93.6 million
  11. Dairy, eggs, honey: $92.1 million
  12. Vegetables: $91.5 million
  13. Beverages: $85 million
  14. Live trees and plants: $83.3 million
  15. Sugar: $79.9 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Irish imports from the Netherlands under the dairy, eggs and honey product category via a 145.6% gain in revenue, electronic equipment (up 80.5%), organic chemicals (up 62.3%), miscellaneous chemical goods (up 24.2%), pharmaceuticals (up 16.7%) and beverages (up 14.9%).

Posting the severest declines among Ireland’s top 15 imported products were mineral fuels including oil (down -57.7%), meat (down -23.4%), machinery (down -20.2%) then medical or technical equipment (down -15.5%).

Ireland’s Main Imports from Belgium

In 2020, Belgium’s exports to Ireland amounted to $2.1 billion or 2.2% of overall Irish imports.

That dollar amount represents a 14.5% gain compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 79.8% of Ireland’s imports from Belgium.

  1. Pharmaceuticals: $671.2 million
  2. Organic chemicals: $344.7 million
  3. Plastics: $132.4 million
  4. Animal/vegetable fats and oils: $91 million
  5. Machinery: $78.3 million
  6. Vehicles: $65.9 million
  7. Fertilizers: $61.9 million
  8. Vegetable/fruit preparations: $52.1 million
  9. Medical, technical equipment: $40.5 million
  10. Food waste, animal fodder: $31 million
  11. Cereal, milk preparations: $26.6 million
  12. Paper: $26.3 million
  13. Vegetables: $24.7 million
  14. Electronic equipment: $23.7 million
  15. Other chemical goods: $23 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Irish imports from Belgium under the organic chemicals product category via a 101.8% gain in revenue, pharmaceuticals (up 45.1%), food waste and animal fodder (up 40.9%) then vegetables (up 10.1%).

Posting the severest declines among Ireland’s top 15 imported products were miscellaneous chemical goods (down -49.2%), cereal or milk preparations (down -17.9%), machinery (down -11.5%) and medical or technical equipment (down -11%).

Ireland’s Main Imports from Italy

In 2020, Italy’s exports to Ireland amounted to $2 billion or 2% of overall Irish imports.

That dollar amount represents a 21.4% gain compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 78.7% of Ireland’s imports from Italy.

  1. Gems, precious metals: $357.2 million
  2. Machinery: $256.4 million
  3. Organic chemicals: $233.9 million
  4. Pharmaceuticals: $183.4 million
  5. Electronic equipment: $90.6 million
  6. Plastics: $89.8 million
  7. Beverages: $61.8 million
  8. Medical, technical equipment: $43 million
  9. Perfumes, cosmetics: $42.7 million
  10. Cereal, milk preparations: $42.4 million
  11. Furniture, lighting, signs: $38.9 million
  12. Iron or steel products: $32 million
  13. Vehicles: $30.8 million
  14. Clothing (not knit or crochet): $24.7 million
  15. Footwear: $23.3 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Irish imports from Italy under the gems and precious metals product category via a 226.6% gain in revenue, organic chemicals (up 57.6%), pharmaceuticals (up 56.6%), medical or technical equipment (up 32.6%), cereal or milk preparations (up 22.5%) and beverages (up 14.5%).

Posting the severest declines among Ireland’s top 15 imported products were items made from iron or steel (down -15.4%), unknitted and non-crocheted clothing (down -15.2%) then furniture, lighting and signs (down -14%).

Ireland’s Main Imports from Spain

In 2020, Spain’s exports to Ireland amounted to $1.8 billion or 1.9% of overall Irish imports.

That dollar amount represents a 17.1% gain compared to 2019.

By value, the 15 major product categories listed below represent 75.8% of Ireland’s imports from Spain.

  1. Pharmaceuticals: $418.4 million
  2. Aircraft, spacecraft: $280.8 million
  3. Vehicles: $161.9 million
  4. Vegetables: $69.4 million
  5. Organic chemicals: $56 million
  6. Plastics: $53.5 million
  7. Machinery: $52.6 million
  8. Fruits, nuts: $50.1 million
  9. Electronic equipment: $46.9 million
  10. Beverages: $46.8 million
  11. Iron or steel products: $40.4 million
  12. Wood: $34.6 million
  13. Iron and steel: $31.6 million
  14. Fertilizers: $29.5 million
  15. Meat: $29.4 million

Fastest increases from 2019 to 2020 were for Irish imports from Spain under the aircraft and spacecraft product category via a 511.2% gain in revenue, pharmaceuticals (up 42.3%), electronic equipment (up 38.9%) and beverages (up 9.1%).

Posting the severest declines among Ireland’s top 15 imported products were organic chemicals (down -47.6%), iron and steel as materials (down -47.1%), fertilizers (down -23.8%) and wood (down -17.7%).

See also

More great research: World’s Top 100 Imported Consumer Products, China’s Top 100 Imported Consumer Products, 100 Most Valuable Consumer Imports for Sale to Ireland

References

Independent insights and analysis presented in this article are based on researched facts and statistics sourced from the following educational sources.

International Trade Centre, Trade Map.

Wikipedia, Ireland, Borders of the Republic of Ireland

World’s Top Exports, Import News.

Scroll to Top