Richmond company signs export deals in China

A Richmond producer of animal feed additives has signed export deals with China for 2014 and 2015, Gov. Terry McAuliffe announced during his trade mission to Asia.

Richmond-based Agrivita Biogroup Inc. specializes in bioscience and animal nutrition. The agreements were made during the VIV Beijing large animal feed trade show in September. Agrivita had been exploring sales opportunities in China with help from the international marketing staff of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS).

The company already has five distributors in China and is planning to add another four. This year, the company made $400,000 in sales, but that is expected to grow in 2015 to over $1.5 million, according to a statement from Arunas Vanagas, President of Agrivita Biogroup Inc.

Agrivita worked with VDACS in 2013 to register its product in China. Earlier this year, the company shipped samples to be used in feeding trials. The trials showed increased milk from dairy cattle, more efficient growth in poultry and greater weight gain in swine production, the governor’s office said.

McAuliffe announced the deal on the second leg of his two-week trade mission to Japan, China, Hong Kong and South Korea.