Trouw Nutrition has permanently closed its Ship Street pre-mix manufacturing facility in Belfast, ending production on 30 September 2026 and resulting in 29 redundancies. The Dutch animal-nutrition company says it will continue to serve the Irish market through its Great Britain and European plants, while retaining commercial, sales, and technical teams at its Belfast headquarters.
BASF is considering a takeover of Evonik, one of Europe's key producers of animal-feed ingredients, as both German chemical groups face pressure from high energy costs and weak demand. Both companies have confirmed preliminary contact, though no agreement has been reached. Analysts estimate potential annual savings of around €700 million if the deal proceeds.
The UK Agri-Tech Centre has begun a formal redundancy consultation affecting up to 80 staff as it shifts strategy away from direct testing and towards a partner-led model, while insisting aquaculture remains central to its plans. The future of its co-owned Marine Aquaculture Innovation Centre (MAIC) at Otter Ferry Seafish in Argyll is under review, though Otter Ferry's managing director expects the facility to continue operating normally.
A stronger US dollar, rising exchange stocks, and weather-driven supply concerns across key producing regions pushed soft commodity futures lower on 23 September 2026, according to ADM Investor Services (ADMIS). Cotton, coffee, and cocoa all faced headwinds, while sugar held gains amid broad output concerns linked to El Niño and ethanol demand in Brazil.
Norwegian salmon farming company Cermaq has named Snorre Jonassen as Chief Operating Officer, Silvia Segnini as Chief Financial Officer, and Dr Bendik Fyhn Terjesen as Chief Technology Officer as part of a global management restructuring following the integration of operations from Grieg Seafood in Finnmark and Canada.