On 1st July, Frontier Agriculture became the exclusive strategic partner for the Port of Tilbury, and immediately began to put the arrangement to good use. "On the same day that we officially took control of the grain terminal at Tilbury, we sold our first boat, very much demonstrating our commitment to growers in the South East," explains Marc Rogerson, wheat trader at Frontier.
The vessel, Aasfjord, loaded 6,000 tonnes of feed wheat a fortnight later on Wednesday 15 July, with the cargo destined for Rotterdam.
Marc reports that this year the UK overall has underperformed in terms of exports, leaving a surplus of grain that needs to be moved. "Working with Tilbury means that we are able to offer a range of new markets and strengthen our position in terms of global exports" he says. "We have the insight to look where in the world the value is, and can base our trading on that knowledge, generating the best possible returns for growers."
He also notes that worldwide, there is significant demand for milling wheat, the commodity for which the South East of England is best known. "We have trade links to consumers in every importing continent, opening up new options for South East farmers."
Ben Steed, a farm trader working with growers in the South East, wants to make sure that local farmers understand the full scope offered by the partnership with Tilbury. "We expect to export all grades and quality of wheat and barley, as well as beans and pulses for the human consumption market in North Africa, and beyond."
Commenting on the partnership Peter Ward, Senior Asset Manager from The Port of Tilbury said, "We are delighted that Frontier is now fully on board as our long term strategic partner at Tilbury's grain terminal. The terminal is one of the UK's largest for both export and UK markets. We are excited about this partnership with Frontier and the opportunities that this will bring to growers in the region, consumer customers and to the grain terminal itself."
The benefits for regional growers are also the primary interest of Simon Ingle, Frontier's head of grain pool marketing. He works closely with the farmer owned cooperative Camgrain whose members provided a proportion of the wheat for the Aasfjord and Simon is looking forward to successful future alliance with Tilbury. "Frontier's strategic partnership with this export facility provides perfect access to export markets for Camgrain members. Our marketing team and sector leading logistics operation are now able to supply new export opportunities which were not previously available."
