Bountiful crop leads to £300,000 research boost

Published on 28/08/2012 00:00

Plant royalties from new varieties of potatoes, raspberries, blackcurrants and other crops bred at the former Scottish Crop Research Institute have helped fund the purchase of land on which more research work can be undertaken.

Mylnefield Research Services, which provides the commercial and marketing arm to the James Hutton Institute – which was formed from the amalgamation of SCRI and the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute last year – saw its turnover increase from £2.65 million last year to just over £3m this year. This enabled it to make a charitable gift of £300,000 to the James Hutton Institute, with the cash being used to purchase land.

MRS managing director Dr Nigel Kerby said the trading performance had been achieved despite a difficult financial climate.

He added: “We understand that this money will make a 
significant financial contribution to the recently announced purchase of land at Berryhill Farm in Angus, extending the scope of our Centre for Sustainable Cropping.”