A LONGSTANDING partnership between the Port of Tilbury and the UK's leading grain marketing business has been extended.

The Port and Frontier Agriculture have announced the extension of a long-term strategic partnership with a new five-year agreement which will see the continuation of significant volumes of grain being exported through the port's busy agricultural hub.

A statement says: "Frontier is the UK's leading crop inputs and grain marketing business and is renowned for its close relationships with UK farmers and grain consumers and, coupled with the location and expertise at the Port of Tilbury, this agreement will bring significant opportunities to grain farmers in the south east.

"The agricultural hub at The Port of Tilbury is one of the UK's largest, handling combinable crops each year both for export and UK markets."

The Port's commercial director Peter Ward said: "This is an important announcement as we agree a long-term agreement with Frontier.

"Our relationship with the team at Frontier spans well over 40 years and this new agreement further strengthens our agricultural hub's position for the south east of England."

 Simon Christensen, grain director of Frontier Agriculture added: "We have a long and collaborative working relationship with the Port and we're delighted to share this announcement.

"This extension to our partnership is good news for our farmer customers in the south east of England as it gives further confidence in the long term availability of access to export marketing options for their produce."