The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) in Northern Ireland has published its annual ‘Northern Ireland Food and Drinks Processing Report’ which shows a total estimated gross turnover of £6,516 million in 2022.
The gross turnover increased by 110% between 2021 and 2022, with provisional estimates for 2023 projecting a 9.4% increase to £7,128 million.
The food and drinks sector contributed 35.5% of total manufacturing sales in 2022, down from 39.3% in 2021. The sector contributed 30.1% to total manufacturing employment in 2022, which is similar to the 30.3% reported in 2021.
Since 2014, employment in the sector has experienced eight years of consecutive growth and has increased by 24.4% up to 2022.
The value added to the Northern Ireland economy by the sector increased from £1,083 million in 2021 to £1,120 million in 2022; an increase of 3.4%.
The food and drinks processing sector had 320 businesses in 2022 with a turnover of more than £250,000; three less than in 2021.
Between 2021 and 2022, purchases in the sector increased from four of its five broad markets. Purchases from Northern Ireland saw the largest growth (+£263.7 million), whilst purchases from the rest of the world decreased (-£2.4 million).
Nine out of 10 subsectors recorded an increase in their levels of gross turnover between 2021 and 2022.
The subsectors which experienced the largest increase in total gross turnover included: Milk and milk products, up 25.9% to £322.7 million; Drinks, up 21.3% to £101.2 million; and pigmeat (+£69.8 million).
Poultry meat was the only subsector that experienced a decrease by 1.6%, down £11.7 million.
Beef and sheepmeat (£1,711 million) and milk and milk products (£1,568 million) continue to
be the largest subsectors in terms of gross turnover.
Their combined share of total gross turnover accounts for 50.3% of processing sales in both 2021 and 2022.
There were 247 businesses in the food and drinks processing sector in 2022 with an annual turnover of less than £10.0 million; 6 less than in 2021.
There were 73 business with an annual turnover in excess of £10.0 million in the food and drinks processing sector in 2022; 3 more than in 2021.
