
Marketing
Marketing contracts
With fewer buyers and increasing world market volatility, effective marketing of your crop has never been more vital. As a farmer co-operative we use our expertise, contacts, reputation and size to provide a range of marketing methods to suit our members needs, including;
- Pools - traded on the produce of acreage to protect from under or over selling!
- Fixed - traded on a fixed price, just like any merchant. But unlike most merchants we will also advise when not to sell!
- Options - options provide a useful method of hedging against market volatility, whilst usually expensive, our size allows these to be provided in a cost effective manner to our members.
- Storage - with cash flow and storage under severe pressure on many farms, we provide a range of storage deals at over 60 stores throughout the country.
Our Area Managers provide sound impartial advice to our members, however it is also important the crops markets and types are fully understood by our members before entering in to a contract.
Rapeseed
The world market
World Rapeseed Production:

World Oilseed Production in million metric tonnes:

Because edible oils are largely interchangeable, what’s happening elsewhere in the world will have an impact on your markets and prices. Small fluctuations in consumption or production in North America or China can have serious consequences for UK prices.
The UK market

Whilst the majority of rapeseed (or canola) is double low type, there are two other major types of oilseed rape grown in the UK. These are High Oleic/Low Linolenic & High Erucic Acid Rape.
The high oleic acreage is set for considerable expansion. Most of these are flexible enough to be used in a number of different markets.
3 main variety types |
Double low - (00) - low in glucosinolates and erucic Used for food, fuel and industrial purposes |
High Oleic + Low Linolenic(HOLL) - low in glucosinolates, erucic & linolenic, and high in oleic Higher stability than double low removes the need for Hydrogenation for frying use. |
High Erucic Acid Rape(HEAR) - low in glucosinolates, high in erucic. Used to produce erucimide for polythene manufacture. |
main market types: |
Normal - commercial, edible usage for cooking oil, margarine, etc for 00 and HOLL (Non-food use only from High erucic)
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Non food - for biofuels and non-food use.
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Each contract and varietal type have specific requirements and restrictions which need to be fully understood before entering into a contract.
Linseed
The UK linseed crop is mainly grown for seed rather than fibre. The seed is crushed to produce oil and meal, the oil being used for a range of industrial uses, and the meal for animal feed. Increasingly linseed seed is used in a range of food and feeds where its healthy omega 3 fatty acids are highly valued.
Markets are available from brown linseed, and the higher value yellow linseed. The crop can also be grown under contract on setaside land.
Pulses
There are a range of markets for peas and beans available from animal feed to marrowfat peas for human consumption. Many of the markets are variety specific and depend on the sample quality.
For further information on the range of contracts available please contact your local area manager.
Peas
- Yellow peas
- Maple peas for the pigeon trade
- Small blues
- Large blues for micronising and export
- Marrowfat peas for canning, packet and export
Beans
- Animal feed
- Tic beans for the pigeon trade
- Export - for human consumption
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