Agricultural market leader Cefetra Ltd, the new marketing partner for Crop Marketing (Group) Ltd (CMG), is looking to build upon the early phase of the partnership with growth in 2025.
Cefetra took on responsibility for the grain marketing for CMG, which is made up of more than 300 members, from Harvest 2024 after a detailed review process conducted earlier this year.
With CMG Managing Director Andrew Buck and Senior Administrators Sophie Meadows and Gail Perren having joined the Cefetra business the partners are actively preparing to develop their partnership next year.
Trading since 1970, CMG consists of 10 regional groups, each with its own marketing committee, whose chairman is appointed to the CMG board. Every committee has input on pool pricing through regular meetings and the setting of selling mandates, all done with the marketing partner. CMG offers members transparency with updates on sales to prevent surprises at the pool period end.
Andrew Buck said: “Working with our new partners at Cefetra, CMG has had a better transition than we could have hoped for. Committed tonnage this year reached a similar level to 2023 which has been a brilliant result during a transitional phase, given the smaller UK crop.
“We are looking to grow the committed tonnage in 2025 and have already introduced new members into our 10 groups. We are also looking to build new groups around existing Cefetra grain facilities.
“Cefetra was selected following a rigorous selection process and we have received a warm welcome from the entire team and feel totally integrated because of our new colleagues’ can-do attitude which has helped accommodate us in a seamless process.
“We have had help from Cefetra with innovative terms, including high protein milling wheat pools, as well as access to the Cefetra Ecosystem Services program, which provides farmers with a greater return on sustainable farming practices.”
Founded in 1992, Cefetra is a major trader of grains and animal feed ingredients with an annual turnover of over £1.5bn. Supplying customers in the animal nutrition, food and drink industries and handling circa 5million tonnes per annum, its headquarters are in Glasgow with regional offices throughout the UK and Ireland.
Cefetra Grain has a team of 35 farm grain buyers who are now actively involved with the CMG groups development. The company also has a speciality crops division, Premium Crops.
Simon Wilcox, Manager – UK Farm Grain Origination, said: “We are delighted by the progress with CMG to date and the positive engagement with farmer members. Our partnership is developing well, and we are looking to build on the solid foundations with significant growth next year.”
To find out more about Cefetra Grain marketing services, visit www.cefetra.co.uk/for-growers/
