Agri-Tech Opportunities in Northern Ireland

Department for International Trade

Overview of Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland is an integral part of the United Kingdom and ideally situated between mainland Europe and the US. It has a population of 1.8 million and its capital city is Belfast.

Northern Ireland has a strong engineering heritage with an international reputation. Its companies develop innovative products and services to a number of industry sectors, including Agri-Tech. Northern Ireland’s Agri-Tech sector has a significant Agri-Engineering component and is part of an industry responsible for 40% of the world’s mobile crushing and screening equipment.

Northern Ireland also has a global reputation for food safety. Pioneering research is being carried out at Queen’s University Belfast’s Institute for Global Food Security, a centre that advises the UK and other governments on food safety.

Agriculture Sector

Farming is Northern Ireland’s biggest industry, critical to the province’s economy and to its rural communities. There are nearly 25,000 farm businesses in Northern Ireland, which support over 48,000 jobs, and with a gross turnover of over £4.4 billion.

75% of Northern Ireland’s land, approx. 1 million hectares, is used for agriculture. Dairy is the largest sector in terms of output, accounting for 32% of gross agricultural output. Sheep and cattle account for a further 25% of the total, poultry and eggs 18%, pigs 8%, and horticulture and crops 8%.

Northern Ireland has a greater reliance on its agricultural sector than the rest of the UK, with agriculture making up 1.7% of Northern Ireland’s Gross Value Added (GVA), compared to 0.5% across the UK as a whole, and the industry accounts for 2.5% of total employment in Northern Ireland, more than double the UK-wide level of 1.1%.

The structure of the agriculture sector in the province is very different to that found in other parts of the UK. 78% of all farms in Northern Ireland are cattle and sheep farms; the home nation with the next highest proportion of such farms is England with 44%. Northern Ireland also has a higher proportion of dairy farms than other parts of the UK, 11% compared to 7% in England. Agriculture in Northern Ireland is characterised by the predominance of small farms. 19,000 of Northern Ireland’s 25,000 farms (76%) are classified as “very small”, meaning they require fewer than 1,900 hours of labour per year to maintain.

Northern Ireland now has some of the most sophisticated and productive farming in the world. Products manufactured include a range of trailers, slurry tankers and dribble bars, animal husbandry, livestock handling equipment, farm handling machinery and telehandlers.

In terms of exports, sector turnover is strongly biased towards the near markets of GB and ROI, however there have been significant successes in Scandinavia and New Zealand, with sporadic successes elsewhere. The sector is well placed to extend its products into compatible markets and to diversify.

Agri-Tech Overview

Farming for the future

With its industrial heritage rooted firmly in farming, Northern Ireland provides a range of innovative solutions to the agricultural sector, both locally and internationally. For generations, expert skills and knowledge have been nurtured within the region, with companies constantly refining and adapting their products and services to meet the changing needs of a global customer base.

Fusing farming expertise with expert engineering and academic research, Northern Ireland is now at the forefront of agricultural innovation. As a result, it is helping to increase productivity around the world through cutting-edge technology, designs and products that are making a tangible difference to the agricultural sector.

Whether it’s designing more efficient farm machinery, treating animal diseases, manufacturing agricultural components or investing in R&D, all these areas and more are benefitting from Northern Ireland’s expertise.

As a result, when it comes to ensuring a more productive and efficient agriculture sector, Northern Ireland is more than capable of delivering the solutions a global industry requires.

Innovative companies

Laser-cutting specialist, Hutchinson Engineering Ltd, provides expert engineering services and products, and works closely with universities as part of its R&D commitment.

Provita Eurotech Ltd is another company shaping a positive future for farmers, by developing innovative natural animal healthcare products. One example is Provita Protect, a non-toxic treatment for calf scour that reduces reliance on antibiotics.

Norbrook Laboratories Ltd is further delivering pioneering results with its veterinary drugs and treatments, while Randox Food Diagnostics is a specialist in food safety. RHI Water Ltd provides innovative rainwater harvesting systems and greywater recycling technology to help agricultural clients generate sustainable water supplies, while Agquip Ltd creates bespoke slurry handling equipment to increase yields and efficiency.

Expert research

Northern Ireland also continues to have an international reputation in food safety thanks to pioneering research from the Institute for Global Food Security at Queen’s University Belfast. This reputation is further boosted by research from Ulster University, with both institutions acknowledged centres of research excellence in agriculture, veterinary, food sciences and biosciences. Meanwhile, the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) is using scientific excellence to advance the agri-food sector, performing specialist R&D, statutory, analytical, and diagnostic testing.

Outward-focussed region

These are just some of the examples of Northern Ireland’s forward-thinking agri-tech businesses and organisations, all committed to ensuring a better future for food and farming, working with customers and partners globally.

Leading companies include Unitas Software, who have developed an innovative cloud-based poultry software package, now increasing flock yields and enhancing efficiency for customers all over the world. Collaborating with large global brands, Unitas currently exports to 70 countries through these partnerships, benefiting farmers in countries such as Canada, Australia, the rest of the UK and the US.

Devenish Nutrition exports its sustainable and innovative nutritional products worldwide, including pre-mixes, pre starters, starters and concentrates, boosting the performance and profitability of its clients. The company has also developed an algae-based product which provides a source of Omega3 fatty acids (DHA and EPA). When fed to poultry and then consumed by humans, it helps to improve heart, brain and vision health.

UPU Industries is a world-leader in crop packaging and pallet netting. The company’s innovative product Colorbale, which binds and holds bales, has been successfully launched in the US and Australian markets. It has also developed the ReflectorNet stretch pallet netting and is now established as a worldwide market leader within this sector.

Agri-Tech Business Opportunities

Innovation in agri-engineering and precision farming to increase yields and efficiencies
Pioneering research and expertise in food safety
Specialist R&D, statutory, analytical, and diagnostic testing for agri-food sector
Developing sustainable natural animal healthcare products and innovative veterinary drugs
Cloud-based software solutions for farm managemen

Investor Company Case Study:

Agriwebb, Australia’s market leader in livestock software, has headquartered their European operations in Belfast under the name Farmwizard. Their vision is to transform the world’s livestock industry by driving farm efficiencies through data driven decision-making.

MAIN Agri-Tech EVENTS

World Ag Expo (February 2020 – Tulare, California) – NI presence at USA’s largest international agricultural exhibition
FIMA Agricola (February 2020 – Zaragoza, Spain) – sector visit to Spain’s largest international agricultural machinery exhibition
Ag In Motion (July 2020 – Saskatoon, Canada) – NI presence at Western Canada’s largest outdoor agricultural trade show
Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show (September 2020 – Woodstock, Canada) – NI presence at Canada’s largest outdoor agricultural trade show
EIMA International (November 2020 – Bologna, Italy) – NI presence at Italy’s International agricultural and gardening machinery exhibition
Sago Fisur (November 2020 – Osorno, Chile) – sector visit to Chile’s premier agricultural trade show