THE VALUE OF exports was over €92 billion last year, up 1 per cent from 2011.
According to figures from the Central Statistics Office, imports were up by 1.5 per cent to €49 billion resulting in a trade surplus of €42.98 billion.
In 2012, the United States (20 per cent), Belgium (15 per cent), Great Britain (15 per cent) and Germany (8 per cent) were Ireland’s main export markets.
Goods to Switzerland increased by €1.3 billion, to Germany by €1.2 billion and to Great Britain by €949 million. Exports to the United States decreased from €21.6 billion to €18.1 billion.
The main export changes for last year was seen with medical and pharmaceutical products, which decreased by €1.9 billion (7 per cent). Meanwhile, the value of Petroleum exports increased by €441 million (35 per cent) to €1.6 billion.
Last year, Great Britain (31 per cent), the United States (13 per cent), Germany (7 per cent) and China (6 per cent) accounted for 57 per cent of total imports.
The main changes in 2012 for imports were of other transport equipment (including aircraft), which increased by 6 per cent to €2.49 billion. Imports of medical and pharmaceutical products decreased by 6 per cent to €4.12 billion.
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