Despite the squeeze on arable incomes caused by low grain prices and relatively high input prices there was a positive mood at Cereals 2015 among farmers and exhibitors.

Many of the 24,500 visitors attending the event took full advantage of the expert technical and financial advice on offer from over 500 exhibitors to help drive their businesses forward, said Jon Day, events director at Haymarket Exhibitions.

"Technical and machinery exhibitors were kept busy by growers keen to explore improved cultivations and soil health, better drilling techniques, integrated weed management strategies and impressive advances in precision farming.

"The business area was popular with growers wanting to maintain a grip on budgets and production costs. All this reflected the sense of determination among visitors to ride out current problems.

"The feedback we've had from visitors and exhibitors has been overwhelmingly positive. Cereals continues to build on its position as the leading UK arable technical event and a key date for forward-looking arable growers."

Machinery exhibitors upbeat

Lindsay Haddon, Agco's advertising and sales promotion manager, said: "Agco's return to the Cereals show was a welcomed one as customers and dealers alike flocked to the see our Challenger, Massey Ferguson, Fendt and Valtra models on display. It couldn't have gone better."

Whilst Sara Sebastianelli, brand communications UK & ROI at New Holland, said: "Cereals is a significant show in the New Holland calendar. Each year we manage to attract more visitors to our stand, with 2015 being no exception. This year's exhibition has been extremely good for our brand!"

Vaderstad experienced a buoyant and upbeat Cereals event this year with a significant number of visitors to its stand on both days. Managing director Mike Alsop said, "Farmers seemed remarkably positive about the future. They had an appetite for knowledge and a desire to adapt their businesses."

David Holmes, sales director, Great Plains UK said: "We have been very pleased with footfall on the Great Plains stand on both days of this year's Cereals event. The level of enquiries was reassuringly healthy, both in terms of volume and quality."