British Apples & Pears Limited (BAPL) has announced a new partnership with Oxbury Bank to offer financial services tailored to UK apple and pear growers. The agreement aims to support growers seeking to invest in orchard planting, replanting programmes, and equipment for harvesting, grading, and packing.
According to BAPL, the financial products available through Oxbury Farm Loans and Oxbury Asset Finance will allow growers to access funding aligned with the long production cycles of top fruit. The options include funding for up to 100% of planting and establishment costs, interest-only periods, staged drawdowns, and no early repayment fees. The structure is designed to match the cashflow patterns of orchard systems.
© BAPL
Ali Capper, executive chair of BAPL, said, "British apple and pear growers are investing for the future, but they need access to finance that understands their business." She noted that access to these financing options is linked to long-term supply agreements. "Crucially, access to these competitive loans depends on secure, multi-year supply arrangements, so we're calling on retailers to commit to long-term partnerships that give growers access to these products and the security they need to invest."
Oxbury Bank, which focuses on food and farming sectors, said its role in the collaboration is to offer finance suited to orchard development and equipment upgrades. Nick Evans, managing director and founder of Oxbury Bank, said, "We're proud to support British apple and pear growers through this partnership with BAPL. Our Farm Loans and Asset Finance products are built to help growers invest in new orchards and the equipment that drives efficiency and productivity."
Applications will be subject to status and terms, and growers will need a corporate retailer supply contract of at least ten years to qualify.
For more information:
British Apples & Pears
Tel: +44 (0) 1507 353778
Email: [email protected]
www.britishapplesandpears.co.uk
