A better-than-expected harvest last year has helped boost fortunes at one of Scotland’s main Claas dealerships.
Sellars Agriculture, which is headquartered in Oldmeldrum, enjoyed a boost in turnover and profits last year.
The firm, which has bases at Forres, Huntly, Cupar, Perth, Letham in Angus, and Linlithgow, posted a 19.5% increase in turnover for the year ended September 30 2018.
Accounts with Companies House reveal the firm recorded sales worth £30.5 million last year – up from £25.525m the year before.
Pre-tax profits were also up 32% in the year to £724,282, from £548,000 previously.
Managing director Neil Wattie hailed a successful performance but said the farm machinery market remained tough.
“In 2015 and 2016 we have poor years, but people are under pressure to replace machines and we reaped the benefits of that (last year),” he said.
Commenting on the current financial year, Mr Wattie said trading in the first half had been better than expected due to good grain prices.
“We traded very well through the winter but it’s been very slow in April and May,” he added.
He blamed the recent sales slowdown on a drop in the grain and beef prices, but said the recent rally in grain prices in the past fortnight had boosted sales interest from farmers.
Mr Wattie said a new service depot in Linlithgow was performing well and the company has just been appointed Scottish dealer for Japanese construction machinery firm Kato Imer.
He said the new franchise will hopefully lead to new jobs being created at the firm.