Martin Ramsden, left, and his daughter Claire and James Logan looking at the wheat which is to be sold.

In what is believed to be a first for the region, Border Livestock Exchange has been instructed by Martin Ramsden, the recent purchaser of Kaimflat, Kelso to sell his 215 acres of standing crops.

Already substantial interest has been expressed in the sale of the oil seed rape, winter wheat and spring barley prior to combining and the company feel that more crop could be sold by this method.

The sale conducted by written tender is being held in conjunction with their sale of standing straw, which has been running successfully for the last five years.

“We have already had comments on what a good idea it is to sell the standing crop and it is likely that we will have a further 200 acres to sell in the Belford area,” said Border Livestock Exchange director James Logan.

“It looks a very good prospect for the medium scale cereal producer with say 150 to 300 acres who can grow the crop well but they do not have the facilities to do the combining or the grain drying. It also helps the buyer of the crop to further justify his investment in machinery.”

After the difficult straw gathering autumn experience last year together with this year's late spring a buoyant trade for straw is anticipated.

Already the company has almost 1,000 acres of straw to sell, and as with the standing crop they feel more could be fruitfully sold.

The tender dates for the oil seed rapes at Kaimflat are July 4 and for the winter wheat, spring barley and standing straw sale the July 18.

Border Livestock Exchange has been operating for 10 years this year with its core being in deadweight sales of prime cattle and sheep as well as store cattle and grass letting.

Anyone interested can contact James Logan or Logan Brown at the Berwick office on 01289 306067.