Seed breeder expands Cereals presence after acquisitions

Seed breeder RAGT will arrive at Cereals 2026 with an expanded portfolio following a year of acquisitions and product development.

Over the past 12 months, the business has integrated Strube and Syngenta’s malting barley operations – strengthening its position across key UK crop sectors, says commercial manager James Barlow.

RAGT will showcase a mix of established and new varieties of interest to growers. They include winter wheat RGT Hexton, which will feature alongside new Recommended List entrants such as RGT Guardsman.

Mr Barlow says RGT Guardsman is attracting attention as the first variety with barley yellow dwarf virus resistance to exceed the 100% yield benchmark. Spring barley varieties will also feature prominently, he says.

Market leader spring barley Laureate will be presented alongside Arrow, its expected dual-purpose successor. It boasts high yields, earlier maturity and an excellent disease package, says Mr Barlow.

Sugar beet

The integration of Strube expands RAGT’s sugar beet offering. New varieties include ST Rotterdam, listed as the second highest yielding on the Recommended List, and ST Tweed, the highest yielding virus yellows tolerant variety.

Fodder beet and forage crops will complement the display, reflecting a broader portfolio and offering to growers following the company’s acquisitions.

The stand will also host Cambridgeshire farmer and YouTuber James Peck of PX Farms Ltd, who has been tracking RGT Hexton in his popular “Field of Dreams” project. He plans to follow Arrow spring barley this season.

RAGT will offer visitors gelato produced by Gloucestershire farmer Charlie Whitehouse under the Oh My Goat brand. His goats are fed silage from RAGT maize.

Mr Barlow says the acquisitions mark a turning point. “Much like Cereals being at Diddly Squat Farm, 2026 feels like a seminal year for RAGT,” he says.

RAGT will exhibit on stand 1040.