A new agreement between Mole Valley Farmers and the Port of Ayr is set to strengthen the agricultural supply chain by bringing animal feed ingredients closer to customers and mills across Scotland and northern England.
The cooperative has signed the deal with the ABP-owned port to improve the sourcing, storage and distribution of feed materials. The arrangement is intended to reduce reliance on long road journeys from ports elsewhere in the country.
Closer supplies for Coylton Mill
The Port of Ayr’s position on Scotland’s west coast will support Mole Valley Farmers’ Coylton Mill and its other feed production sites. The company said the agreement will give it more flexibility when planning production and help it keep supplies moving during periods of higher demand.
“It is about building resilience into our supply chain so we can continue to support farmers whatever is happening in the wider world.”
Jack Cordery, chief executive of Mole Valley Farmers, said the partnership would allow key ingredients to be stored closer to the Coylton Mill. He said this would improve forward planning and help keep the mills supplied during the busy winter feeding period.
“By working with the Port of Ayr, we can bring key ingredients closer to our Coylton Mill and improve our ability to plan ahead by storing feed and keeping our mills supplied during the busy winter feeding period.”
Port facilities support regional trade
Bryan Davies, divisional port manager at ABP, welcomed the agreement and said the port was supporting a business with an important role in agriculture.
“We’re delighted to be working with Mole Valley Farmers and supporting a business that plays such an important role in the agricultural sector.”
The Port of Ayr has specialist dry bulk handling facilities and covered storage for cargo that can be affected by weather. The site handles around 34,000 tonnes of cargo each year and supports regional supply chains.