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As of 2002, Ireland consumed 3.4 tons of fertilizer for every ton it produced, that is to say it is extraordinarily reliant on imports. Keep in mind that the limited domestic production is itself heavily dependent on energy, the vast majority of which is itself imported. Additionally, more recent reports suggest that Ireland has become more reliant on imported fertilizers over the past 20 years.

https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/AG.CON.FERT.PT.ZS?locat...

https://thatsfarming.com/farming-news/chemical-fertiliser-im...

On a similar note, The Netherlands are descibed as food importer. Sure we import a lot of food, but we export a lot more[1]!

[1] https://bestfoodimporters.com/food-imports-in-the-netherland...

In dollar amounts, yes.

But what matters in this analysis is calories, not value.

Fertilizer imports.

The US makes its own fertilizer, Ireland does not. Without fertilizer, crop productivity goes way down.