OUTWARD MISSION TO ALGERIA
UK Agritech Firms Explore Opportunities in Algeria on Landmark Trade Mission
16-19 September 2025 saw a delegation of UK agritech companies take part in a pioneering trade mission to Algeria, signalling fresh opportunities for collaboration between the two nations in agriculture and food security.
The visit, organised by the Algeria British Business Council (ABBC), marked the first such mission of its kind. It brought together six UK companies specialising in agricultural technology, including UKTAG, Lacuna Space (satellite connectivity for agriculture), Date Palm Development (tissue-cultured plants), Anpario (natural feed additives), Cogent (genetics and bull semen export), and Airponix (hydroponic seed potato systems).
The delegation was welcomed on its opening day at the British Ambassador’s residence in Algiers. The mission benefited from the expertise of former Ambassador to Algeria and Chairman of ABBC, Mr M. Roper OBE, and the support of the current Ambassador, HE James Downer.
Key engagements included business-to-business meetings with members of the Algeria Business Council and a high-level session with the Secretary General of the Ministry of Agriculture and senior officials. Algerian authorities outlined their ambition to expand the country’s agricultural sector from subsistence farming into a more industrialised and productive system.
The visit also highlighted major private-sector investment. Mr Maurice Ghattas of Baladna hosted the delegation and shared plans for a vast 270,000-head dairy project in central Algeria, backed by Qatari partners. The initiative is expected to employ 5,000 people and deliver more than 400 calvings per day once fully operational.
Field visits gave delegates a first-hand view of Algeria’s diverse farming landscape—from a hillside dairy producing cheese and yoghurt for the Algiers market to large-scale agricultural ventures in the Sahara. In regions once thought inhospitable, underground water resources are enabling the cultivation of dates, maize, and even livestock farming.
One of the mission’s most memorable encounters was with 94-year-old farmer Hadjadj Mahmoud, whose operation supplies the only fresh dairy to his entire town and surrounding areas. His resilience and innovation impressed both UK and Algerian participants.
For UKTAG and its partners, the mission underscored Algeria’s potential and the role British expertise could play in boosting productivity, particularly through animal health programmes, genetics, and improved feed systems. Algeria currently imports over one million sheep annually for festivals, as well as large volumes of milk powder to meet domestic demand.
“Knowledge sharing, veterinary support, and UK genetics could help transform Algerian farming,” Rob Grinnall (UKTAG) said. “While access to the market may present challenges, this mission has shown that opportunities are real and achievable.”
According to the ABBC, at least two of the companies involved are already advancing towards concrete agreements following the visit—an encouraging sign for the future of UK-Algeria agricultural trade.