Over 400t of beef was imported into Ireland from Mercosur countries from January to October of 2025, a spokesperson from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has confirmed to Agriland.

Of this beef imported, 145t was sourced from Brazil and 257t was sourced from Argentina.

In total, 32,875t of beef was imported to Ireland from other countries in 2025.

The table below outlines the full-year Central Statistics Office (CSO) data on Mercosur beef imports to Ireland for 2020-2024 and data from January to October of 2025:

The DAFM spokesperson said: "According to CSO data for the last number of years, Ireland has not imported beef products in significant quantities from Mercosur countries."

"In 2025, provisional CSO data shows that 403t of beef was imported into Ireland from Mercosur countries from January to October, out of a total 32,875t of imports."

Mercosur grain imports

The confirmation of the volume of Mercosur beef imports to Ireland comes as the chair of the Irish Grain Growers Group (IGGG) James Kelly highlighted that Ireland imported 750,000t of grains and feedstuffs in 2024 from Mercosur countries, much of which he claimed "is genetically modified".

Kelly made the comments at the Independent Ireland rally against the EU-Mercosur trade deal in Athlone on Saturday, January 10.

He called on Irish-based feed mills to clarify the amount of Mercosur grain they are using in their rations.