Global agri-technology company Devenish has welcomed a free trade agreement between Japan and the UK, which is expected to boost trade between the two countries by an estimated £15.2bn.
The agreement marks the UK’s first post-Brexit international trade deal, as the transition period comes to an end on 31 December.
Managing Director of Devenish International, Ian Atterbury, said: “We welcome the news of a UK-Japan trade agreement. We have ambitious plans for international growth and see huge potential in Asia. This agreement is welcome news for UK exporters. We’re pleased that this agreement not only replicates the existing EU-Japanese trade rules but goes a step further to enhance them.
“We first entered the market in Asia in 2015 and have built a presence in several countries in the region. We’ve identified a number of opportunities in Japan – a sophisticated market with a high level of scientific understanding, which fits well with the Devenish core competence of research and development.
“Our local team in Asia Pacific can draw on our team of nutritionists and vets focused on our home markets, as well as our international team members. Our corporate strategy of ‘One Health, from Soil to Society’, which takes soil, plant, animal, human and environmental health together as one, has created opportunities for collaboration globally.”
Established in 1952, Devenish has manufacturing sites across Ireland, the UK, USA, Mexico, Turkey and Uganda, and employs more than 750 people worldwide. The company trades in over 50 countries, specialising in optimising nutrients across the food chain.