A record tonnage of grain grown on East Anglian farms has been shipped through Great Yarmouth’s port in the last 12 months.
Global food company ADM Agriculture has recorded its largest export volumes at Norfolk’s biggest port between July 2022 and June 2023.
Although it did not release the tonnage figure, the firm says it accounts for 20pc of total wheat and barley exports from the UK, destined for markets including Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland and Egypt.
Earlier this year, a vessel loaded with 31,000 tonnes of feed wheat became the largest ever to be loaded at Great Yarmouth’s deep-water port – followed by others of similar size.
And ADM, one of the UK’s biggest grain exporters, has also already shipped vessels loaded with new-crop barley from this summer’s harvest.
Mark Musson, farm trader at ADM Agriculture, said: “We are helping local farmers, who have had a big surplus of both barley and wheat in particular, get their grain onto the global market.
“The Great Yarmouth port, which is a deep water port, is the biggest in East Anglia, and we are the only company that can load vessels of 30,000-plus tonnes in the area.
“We’re bringing business directly to Great Yarmouth through our export programme to help the UK farmers move their surplus.”
Mike Rout, another ADM trader, said export links were vital to help East Anglian farmers find markets for surplus grain.
“We’re moving into a potential period of surplus again for the UK, with more wheat and barley being grown on farms than domestic consumption points can use, especially in East Anglia, so we’re going to have to rely on exports out of the region again to support local farmers and drive the business,” he said.
“We have shipped millions of tonnes of grains through the Great Yarmouth port since we began doing business here and we’re looking to continue that.”