A Herefordshire agri-business has proved that while farming remains in troubled times the old saying of 'as one door closes another opens' is as true today as ever.

As S and A Produce (UK) Ltd., of Marden, near Hereford, decided to move out of its potato growing and packing enterprise, it was receiving plaudits for its fruit production.

Company boss, John Davies, was one of the finalists in London recently of the 'Grower of the Year' awards. The competition, run by the 'Grower' magazine in association with the NFU is an annual celebration of British commercial horticulture.

S and A Davies was a finalist in the soft fruit section.

Competition was particularly strong this year and 'Grower' editor, Peter Rogers, commented: "The awards demonstrate a determination to succeed despite the difficulties many growers face.

"The quality of entry was higher than ever this year and the competition was intense."

Just a few days after the awards, auctioneers Will-iams, Parry, Richards, of Ross-on-Wye reported a highly successful dispersal sale at Brook Farm, Mar-den of the farm's entire potato growing and handling equipment. The sale followed the decision of the owners to terminate their enterprises in order to concentrate on soft fruit production.

The sale included a large quantity of specialist packing equipment and also potato growing equipment, and is believed to be one of the biggest of its kind ever to be held in Herefordshire.

As such, the sale attracted considerable interest from throughout the UK with a large contingent of Irish purchasers also in attendance.

Some of the principal prices realised included a Newtec 2009xB c/w VB40 Bagger which sold to the day's top price of £27,000.

Other prices included a Newtec 2009xB c/w VB40 Bagger £25,725; Newtec 2009XB c/w VB40 £21,500; Pace Packer Auto Bag Stacker £17,500; Pace Packer Auto Bag Stacker £15,750; Newtec 2009 c/w VB40 Bagger £12,000; 2001 Bauyer Irrigator 110 x 400 Rainstar £10,000; 2001 Monsoon E21 Acoustic Pump £10,000; 1995 Grimme Variant DL1700 Harvester £8,000; 2x2 Ton Automatic Control Flow Box Tipper with Cross Conveyor £8,000; Walth-ambury Bag Collator £5,775; Walthambury Bag Collator £5,250; 1998 Griffiths 14T Root Trailer £5,000; 228 Potato Boxes £4,900; 240 Potato Boxes £4,600; Ulma Flow Wrapper £4,620; Miedema 1 Ton Box Filler £4,600; Miedema 2 Ton Box Filler, AKF 41 1997 £4,050; Automatic Box Making Machine £4,000 and a Newtec Line 1 Bag Printer/Labeller also at £4,000.