From a November high of €8,252m, seasonally adjusted exports decreased by 9% to €7,503m in December. Imports increased by 8% to €4,019m, resulting in a 23% decrease in the seasonally adjusted trade surplus to €3,484m. A substantial part of the decline in the value of exports was due to a high value product in the Chemicals and related products sector coming off patent in December.
The figures for January to November of 2011 compared with the same period of 2010 show:

Exports increased by 5% to €85,744m:

•  Exports of Medical and pharmaceutical products increased by 11% or €2,566m, Organic chemicals by 8% or €1,459m, Dairy products by 26% or €340m and Meat by 15% or €316m.
•  Exports of Computer equipment fell by 11% or €446m.
• Goods to the USA increased by 6% or €1,107m, to Great Britain by 4% or €480m and to France by 12% or €480m.
•  In the first eleven months of 2011, the USA (23%), Belgium (15%) and Great Britain (14%) were Ireland’s main export markets.

Imports increased by 6% to €44,136m:

•  Imports of Petroleum increased by 25% or €940m, Medical and pharmaceutical products by 23% or €746m and Organic chemicals by 23% or €438m.
•  Imports from Great Britain rose by 14% or €1,726m and from Germany by 13% or €399m.
•  In the first eleven months of 2011, nearly one third (32%) of Ireland’s imports came from Great Britain.

Read the full release by the Central Statistics Office here.