Top mart links up with online platform for sales
Plans to offer livestock farmers alternative methods to trade their stock have been brought forward by one of Scotland’s leading livestock auction companies in light of the current challenges of the coronavirus crisis.
The North-east based auction house, ANM, has teamed up with the online livestock sales platform Sellmylivestock.co.uk and yesterday said the move would allow farmers across Scotland who were unable to attend live auction rings to continue to trade with the security of the services of an experienced ANM auctioneer and valuer.
Offering the services of one of the country’s longest established auction marts to on-line private sales would see ANM auctioneers offer sellers advice on marketing their stock online and the support required to do this effectively –including photography, listing advice, lotting support, payment services and screening of enquiries.
The community-owned co-operative yesterday said it had planned to announce the tie-up later this year –but that it had accelerated work in response to the coronavirus outbreak and public health advice surrounding social distancing.
“The launch of this partnership has been in the pipeline for some time but fast-tracking the roll-out we had planned seems the sensible thing to do given the public health advice surrounding coronavirus, particularly for those in at-risk groups,” said ANM group chief executive, Grant Rogerson.
He continued stating that although ANM marts remained open for business and working within government guidelines, attending live sales was not an option for some buyers and sellers.
Rogerson said he hoped the arrangement would supplement the recent move to offer live on-line bidding at the mart’s own sales, an approach which allowed consignors and purchasers to take part in sales remotely.
“We remain convinced that the best place to sell livestock is in the market ring, where buyers and sellers can both be sure of complete price transparency and immediate settlement at a fair price on the day,” he said.
“However, there has always been a proportion of livestock sellers who can’t, or won’t, make the commitment to bring their stock to the market ring for sale and for some, an internet listing is their preferred way to test the market, potentially avoiding transport and other costs.
“This groundbreaking announcement puts qualified auctioneers at the heart of online transactions across Scotland,” he concluded.
● The move came as marts in England and Wales announced that all sales of breeding stock would be banned, while in southern Ireland the government announced that all livestock marts would be closed along with other public meeting places in an attempt to stem the spread of Covid 19.
However the Irish Farmers Association said that alternative means of selling livestock were available – but warned producers in the country to ensure that they only entered into arrangements where payments could be secured.
IFA president Tim Cullinan said that markets had weighing facilities and a tried and tested system which provided security of payment to underpin the bond of trust between seller and buyer.