Minister Grealish leads agri-food trade mission to the United Arab Emirates
- Published on: 26 January 2026
- Last updated on: 26 January 2026
Minister of State with responsibility for Food Promotion, New Markets, Research and Development, Noel Grealish TD, is this week leading an agri-food trade mission to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in collaboration with Bord Bia and Enterprise Ireland.
The focus of the trade mission is on strengthening government-to-government relationships, supporting Irish companies on the ground and at Gulfood and promoting our high quality, sustainably produced agri-food products.
Minister Grealish will begin his visit today by attending Gulfood, the world’s largest food and beverage trade event, which will have a total of 14 Irish agri-food companies exhibiting at the event.
Speaking from the UAE, Minister Grealish commented:
“This trade mission provides a valuable opportunity to see on the ground the significant impact that Irish agri-food producers have made in the UAE to date. I firmly believe that we can build on this success and continue to grow Ireland’s reputation as a trusted supplier of world class agri-food produce that is sustainably produced and originates from family farms in Ireland.”
Tomorrow, Minister Grealish will have a series of engagements, including a key government-to-government meeting, a visit to Kerry Group Dubai and meetings with major retailers and potential customers for Irish agri-food. Minister Grealish will also address a Bord Bia Gulfood Trade Reception, which brings together Irish food and drink suppliers, international buyers and industry leaders in the region.
Also commenting, Bord Bia CEO Jim O’Toole said:
“The Gulf region continues to be a priority growth market for Irish food and drink exports, driven by strong population growth, a dynamic foodservice sector and increasing demand for high-quality imported food. Through this trade mission we will support Irish exporters on the ground, strengthen relationships with key customers, and help companies build their presence in a market that offers significant long-term opportunities for Irish food and drink.”
The trade mission commences today, Monday, 26 January, and will conclude on Thursday, 29 January.
Notes
IE-UAE Agri-Food Trade
Irish agri-food exports to the UAE totalled €105m in 2024, broadly consistent with export levels for the previous two years. Exports in 2024 were dominated by dairy (€78), beverages (€10m) and animal feed (€5.4m). Imports from the UAE to Ireland amounted to €2.82m in 2024.
The CSO export figures for 2025 will be available next month.
Bord Bia estimates that Irish food and drink exports to the Gulf region reached €370 million in 2025, an increase of 7.5% on 2024 values. This growth was primarily driven by dairy exports (+7% to €315 million) and prepared consumer foods (+17% to €26.8 million).