Report on the Northern Ireland food and drinks processing sector

The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs has published its annual report, ‘Size and Performance of the Northern Ireland Food and Drinks Processing Sector, Subsector Statistics’.

The report contains comprehensive data on the values of sales, exports, value added and number of employees for each of the ten constituent subsectors of the food and drinks processing sector for 2014 and 2015. These key statistics are supplemented with fifteen performance indicators for each subsector. Provisional estimates of sales and employment are also provided for 2016.

In addition, a time-series of data covering the period 1989 – 2015 (and 2016 where available) has been published on the DAERA website for each of the main variables. These will enable users to identify trends over time in variables of interest to them.

Some of the report’s key findings include:

• The value of sales for the Northern Ireland food and drinks processing sector decreased from £4,567million in 2014 to £4,424million in 2015; a fall of 3.1%. Provisional figures estimate sales in 2016 at £4,423million (marginally lower). These declines follow 15 years of continued growth in sales.
• In 2015, the food and drinks processing sector is estimated to have contributed approximately 2.3% of Northern Ireland’s total gross value added; this is up 0.2% from 2014.
• The food and drinks processing sector, as defined in this publication, contributed 23% of external sales, 21% of export sales and 25% of total sales in the Northern Ireland manufacturing industry in 2015. The sector’s proportion of total manufacturing employment increased to 26%, while the share contributed to the value added of the manufacturing industry was 18%. 
• Within the sector, the beef and sheepmeat and milk and milk products subsectors continue to be the largest subsectors in terms of gross turnover for both 2015 and 2016. Together, they account for 49% and 48% of the sector’s total gross turnover in these years respectively.
• Great Britain is the largest outlet for the Northern Ireland food and drinks processing sector with sales increasing to £2,098million and representing 47% of total sales in 2015. Ireland is the most important export destination, despite an 11% decrease and accounted for £625million in 2015; 14% of total sales. In both 2014 and 2015, the size of value of the Northern Ireland domestic market was smaller than those markets outside of the UK.
• In both 2014 and 2015 all ten subsectors traded profitably.
• The total number of direct employees in the sector rose by 5.1% from 20,486 full-time employee equivalents in 2014 to 21,524 full-time employee equivalents in 2015. Direct employment in 2016 estimated to increase by 2.3% to 22,017 full-time employee equivalents. 

Notes to editors: 

1. This statistical press release relates to the annual report 'Size and Performance of the Northern Ireland Food and Drinks Processing Sector, Subsector Statistics 2015, with provisional estimates for 2016'.
2. The report and time-series data from 1989 – 2015/2016, may be downloaded free of charge from the DAERA website.
3. If a hard copy of the report is required, it may be obtained, price £6 including postage and packaging, from the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Economics and Evaluation Branch, Room 817, Dundonald House, Upper Newtownards Road, Ballymiscaw, Belfast BT4 3SB.
4. Follow us on Twitter @daera_ni.
5. All media queries should be directed to the DAERA Press Office on 028 9052 4619 or email DAERA Press Office. Out of office hours please contact the duty press officer via pager number 07623 974 383 and your call will be returned.

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