Feed and bedding trading website set for summer launch
© Juice/REX/Shutterstock The creator of Sell My Livestock and Graindex is gearing up to launch a third website for farmers and growers looking to trade feed, forage and bedding online.
Software developer Hectare Agritech says the new website will be available in around six week’s time, targetting a pre-harvest launch.
The plans follow an investment of £500,000 from entrepreneur, writer and management strategist Richard Koch.
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Hectare Agritech commercial director Andrew Loftus told Farmers Weekly that Mr Koch’s backing would bolster current services, support the acquisition of new developers and help finance the development of the feed, forage and bedding website.
He added: ‘It’s a huge vote of confidence in us and what we do, given Richard’s track record. It will enable us to develop more of what our farmers love, even faster.
“Farming is changing fast when it comes to online activity and we’re getting hundreds of new users each month. As the UK gears up for Brexit, efficient systems will help us to compete globally.”
Mr Koch said the investment represents an exciting opportunity for him in a large sector that had, until recently, been slow to digitise.
Existing websites
- Sell My Livestock Founded in June 2014 by school friends Jamie McInnes and young farmer Dan Luff. Now trading at around £4m in livestock a month and boasting more than 20,000 registered users, of which 50% use the system monthly.
- Graindex Launched in October 2015 with 7,000 registered users. Looking at developing forward-selling options and starting inter-merchant trading.