February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
By Andrew Bushe
DUBLIN — Despite the international economic downturn and the problems in the American market, Ireland’s export boom is continuing.
While the value of exports to non-EU countries dropped almost 13 percent in February to £2,274 million from the all-time record set in January, the February figures were still 29 percent higher than the same month last year.
The major increase was a huge 104 percent jump in exports of organic chemicals, mainly as a result of the manufacture of the basic Viagra sexual impotence drug ingredients in Pfizer in Cork.
Electrical machinery exports increased by 62 percent but the figures for telecommunications and sound equipment show a drop of 27 percent.
Comparing January-February 2001 with the same period last year, overall exports were up 48 percent. U.S. exports were up 64 percent, those to Switzerland were up 73 percent and to Australia by 33 percent.
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Imports were also up 25 percent overall. One of the biggest jumps was a 73 percent Norwegian increase due to oil imports. U.S. imports were up 29 percent and those from Australia jumped by 91 percent.
Imports of computer equipment were up 27 percent and electrical machinery was up 41 percent.