The Irish Exporters Association has reported export growth of 9.4% for the first quarter of this year, a stronger than anticipated rate.
The IEA revised its full-year growth estimates to €14.8 billion (9.1%), but warned of a 'risky international trading climate'.
It revised its full-year forecasts for merchandise and service export growth to 10% and 8.0%, respectively.
Export growth was boosted by merchandise sales, which increased by almost €2.19 billion (10.5%) in the first three months of this year compared with the same period last year.
Services exports also rose, by €1.33 billion, in the same period.
In a statement, IEA chief executive john Whelan said that growth in merchandise exports was driven by 19% growth in the pharmaceutical sector and 17% growth in the agri-food sector.
He said that severe weather in competitor countries, diversion of agri-crops to bio-fuels and 'the extraordinary growth in Asia' all contributed to the agri-food growth.
Mr Whelan also pointed out that merger and acquisition activity last year led to rapid growth in output from the sector.
The IEA expects Irish exports growth to exceed the global average this year.
Mr Whelan warned that the euro's exchange rate with sterling and the US dollar was very important for Irish exporters.
Any further significant weakening of either of those currencies could make life difficult for a large number of Irish exporters, he said.
