Masstock Arable (UK) Ltd has announced new grain marketing alliances with three regional partners covering the UK.

The new deal will substantially widen the Group’s crop marketing offer, which to date has mainly been conducted through its Dalgety division. The alliances will see Masstock working with Glencore Grain UK Ltd, Wessex Grain Ltd and Scotgrain Agriculture Ltd, to provide a comprehensive portfolio of expertise and crop marketing opportunities to the Group’s farming customers.

Commenting on the new approach, Dalgety’s Paul Selby said: “These alliances are a major step forward in ensuring we continue to provide profitable crop marketing solutions to our customers. 

“The regional focus will allow us to maintain a high level of personal service and advice to farmers through our field teams and offer a wider range of options for how farmers market their crops.”

Declan Giblin, Masstock’s managing director, also welcomed the new alliances. “We have selected Glencore, Scotgrain and Wessex Grain because we believe jointly we can provide a high level of expertise and offer farmers real choice in comparison to some of our competitors, and at a time when such choices are needed more than ever before.

“To prosper under the new subsidy system, growers need access to added-value markets together with the agronomic expertise to achieve the required specification.  Masstock’s proposition is to equip farmers with the best all-round package of advice, technical innovation and environmental compliance, together with greater support to market crops successfully in the future.  Sourcing the most attractive marketing opportunities for our customers is an essential component in helping farmers to succeed in the new economic environment.”

The combined procurement portfolio of the new alliances will represent some 2m tonnes of farm grain, positioning it as the third largest player in today’s UK grain market.

The new approach will commence July 1 2005, when Dalgety’s existing arrangement with Grainfarmers comes to an end. All existing contracts will be processed through Grainfarmers. 

Masstock Arable (UK) Ltd comprises the following businesses: Acorn Agronomy; Agrownomics; AgSouth; Alan Whittaker (CPS); BBW Cropcare; Cleanacres; Clive Utting; Cropchem; Dalgety; Faulkner & Partners; FSC Agronomy; HPR; JB Agronomy; Jeff Beer Agronomy; Kenneth Wilson; Masstock Farm Consultancy; Medicrop; PCC Agronomy; Prince, Doyle & Jenkins; RM Jones; Ryehill Farmservice; Thistle Agronomy. Masstock’s 160-strong field team represents a highly cost-effective on-farm link for our alliance partners and direct involvement with high quality production management across 1.5million acres.