A record tonnage of grain was moved in the 40th anniversary year of a leading independent Norfolk merchant.

The team at Adams & Howling, which is based at Little Plumstead, near Norwich, handled 70pc per cent more tonnage over the harvest period last year compared with the 2011 season.

Matthew Adams, who is joint managing director, said: 'We have again consistently performed for our growers and customers alike. It is the joint partnership which continues to grow within our business.

'We don't want to be the biggest or feel the need to encourage growers into needing something they can have for free.

'Our ethos is to move the grain straight from the farm to the nearest associated end-user,' he added, without incurring additional charges or adjustments.

But a major engine of growth has been the continued success of the ABC grain group, which was founded in 2007, to help secure the future of malting barley production in Norfolk and the surrounding area.

And this year, said the firm's marketing director, Chris Borrett, there has been an increase in premiums and further marketing options to help dedicated growers manage their risks, which suits the specific needs of their businesses.

Mr Borrett, said: 'The grower group is designed to strengthen the malting barley supply chain. It gives individual growers the opportunity to gain maximum premiums for their own grain while giving security of supply and traceability to the brewer.

'The group is constantly evolving and uses growers, merchants and maltster in the decision making process,' he added.

In the next stage of process to improve communication and share knowledge, growers will be given online access to ABC contracts, which will show results from samples and also deliveries.

Further, an independent malting barley trials day will be held at NIAB TAG at Morley, near Wymondham.

This will held before harvest and will offer growers the opportunity to learn with other growers and improve malting barley production skills.

Mr Borrett, added: 'We are always looking for ways for our growers to get better value for their grain without exposing them to the volatility of the market if quality became an issue.'

Matthew Adams, added: 'When Paul and I took over managing the business in 1997 hardly any tonnage was committed for more than a year, but we`ve turned that around.

'We now have over 75pc of our tonnage requirement committed for the next three years on renewable long term contracts which is a fantastic effort.

'We continue to encourage partnerships within the trade and are always interested in new trading opportunities.'

Adams & Howling was started in 1972 when Cyril Adams, now chairman, and Tony Howling, who retired in 1991, left grain merchant RJ Seaman & Sons at Catfield to start the company.

They rented their first offices at Wroxham railway station and then bought the former Eastern Electricity Board's premises, later sold to Roy's of Wroxham.

In those next two decades, the firm expanded more rapidly. Cyril Adams, recalled: 'From those early beginnings with farming returns at a minimum we adopted a policy which remains in place today, to efficiently administrate contracts and execute payments correctly on time.

'We quickly built partnerships which still today are in place with the likes of Bunn Fertilisers and the Crisp Malting Group,' he added.