The Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) has met with the drinks industry to discuss the current market outlook and stress the importance of supporting premium crop growers.

The situation remains exceptionally challenging at present due to a combination of economic uncertainty arising from US tariffs, and inflation and cost of living pressures, the IFA said.

Commenting after the discussion with representatives from Drinks Ireland and the Irish Whiskey Association, IFA grain vice-chair John Murphy said it was a constructive and informative meeting.

“It could be well into 2026 before full clarity exists within the market and this news will be concerning for barley producers,” John Murphy said.

The US is by far the largest importer of Irish whiskey and a boom in sales so far this decade has resulted in a significant increase in demand for malting and adjunct barleys at farm level, the IFA said.

“Premium crops are crucial to the economic livelihoods of a significant number of tillage farmers,” Murphy continued.

The Irish Whiskey Association informed the IFA that work is ongoing to ensure an increase of sales of Irish whiskey in other emerging markets, such as India and South Africa.

However, the association has highlighted barriers to trade also being present in these regions and pivoting sales will not happen overnight.

IFA stressed to the Irish Whiskey Association the importance of the whiskey sector using 100% Irish malting barley.

The IFA malting barley committee said it is aware that some distillers have started to use imported European malt in recent times, which it described as a "disappointing development".

“Both the tillage sector and the whiskey sector are facing a significant threat to their viability at present and it is critically important producers and end users work together to support each other,” IFA's Murphy added.

According to the Irish Whiskey Association, last year, there were more than 16 million cases of Irish whiskey sold worldwide, and the US was a "central" market.

The association said that the "zero-for-zero tariff trading environment between the EU and US has served the spirits industry well for nearly 30 years".