the organic research centre © the organic research centre a survey of uk feed organic grain demand...

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© The Organic Research Centre

A Survey of UK Feed Organic Grain DemandBruce Pearce, Catherine Phillips, Lawrence Woodward

Organic Arable

Cultivating Partnerships Conference

13th May 2009

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Objective

To Better Understand the Current

Demand Situation in the Organic

Arable Sector

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The Survey

• Postal Survey.

• 24 mills, compounders, processors throughout the UK.

• Asked to complete a questionnaire.

Usage 2007 season.

Usage 2008 season (to 31st January 2009).

Project use for the rest of 2008 season.

Projected use for 2009 season.

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Information on tonnage of…

• Organic Feed Grains Feed Wheat Sunflower Expeller Lucerne Soya Expeller Maize Peas Feed Barley Beans Full Fat Soya Rapeseed Expeller Triticale Feed Oats Other

• Organic Milling Grains Milling Wheat <12% protein Milling Wheat >12% protein Soft Wheat Milling Oats Rye Spelt

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The Survey

• Also asked a number of qualitative questions

Their experiences.

Criteria for buying.

Other crops.

• Information could be supplied to us anonymously if

required.

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Results.

• 10 out of 24 Responded.

• Information on feed grain usage.

7 provided information on 2007 and 2008.

1 provided information on 2009.

• Information on milling grain usage.

1 provided information.

• Only analysed and presenting information on feed

grains in 2007 and 2008.

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2007 by respondents usage

• Organic market estimated 250,000 tonnes per annum

used.

• Survey accessed 75,000 tonnes.

• Accessed approximately 1/3 of the market (tonnes and

players)

• Most in demand grains in 2007. Wheat (40%).

Sunflower expeller (12%).

Lucerne (9%).

Soya expeller (7%).

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Usage by respondents 2007

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

35000

Organ

ic Fee

d W

heat

Organ

ic Sun

flower

Exp

eller

Organ

ic Lu

cern

e

Organ

ic Soy

a Exp

eller

Organ

ic M

aize

Organ

ic Pea

s

Organ

ic Fee

d Bar

ley

Organ

ic Bea

ns

Organ

ic Full

Fat

Soy

a

Organ

ic Rap

esee

d Exp

eller

Organ

ic Trit

icale

Organ

ic Fee

d Oat

s

Other

(plea

se sp

ecify

)

Feed Grains

ton

nag

e

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• Up to 31st January 2009.

• 24,000 tonnes.

Feed wheat (29%).

Peas (12%).


Feed barley (9%).

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Usage 2008 by respondents (to 31/01/09)

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

Organ

ic Fee

d W

heat

Organ

ic Pea

s

Organ

ic Sun

flower

Exp

eller

Organ

ic Fee

d Bar

ley

Organ

ic Lu

cern

e

Organ

ic M

aize

Organ

ic Soy

a Exp

eller

Organ

ic Rap

esee

d Exp

eller

Organ

ic Bea

ns

Organ

ic Fee

d Oat

s

Organ

ic Trit

icale

Organ

ic Full

Fat

Soy

a

Other

(plea

se sp

ecify

)

Feed Grains

ton

nag

e

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Usage 2008 (Feb-Aug)

• Predicted 40,000 tonnes more used before the end of the

year.

• Total = 65,000 tonnes.

• 10,000 tonnes down on 2007.

Feed wheat (46%).


Soya expeller (8%).

Peas (7%).

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0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

Organ

ic Fee

d W

heat

Organ

ic Sun

flower

Exp

eller

Organ

ic Pea

s

Organ

ic Soy

a Exp

eller

Organ

ic Lu

cern

e

Organ

ic Fee

d Bar

ley

Organ

ic M

aize

Organ

ic Bea

ns

Organ

ic Rap

esee

d Exp

eller

Organ

ic Fee

d Oat

s

Organ

ic Full

Fat

Soy

a

Organ

ic Trit

icale

Other

(plea

se sp

ecify

)

Feed Grains

To

nn

age

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Rank in importance of purchasing decision

0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5

Price

Quality

Consistency of supply

Provenance/traceability

Score (1 most important, 4 least).

*

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Other Findings

• Comments about quality were varied.

Quality OK.

Quality variable.

Needs to be cleaner.

• Would source more UK products if it were available.

Wheat and other cereals.

Alternative protein sources to imported soya.

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Discussion & Conclusions

• This survey was undertaken to gain more information

on the supply of organic grains in the UK.

• Information provided is commercially sensitive.

• Not successful for milling grains.

• More successful with feed grains.

• Future predictions outside of the current year were not

forthcoming.

Commercially sensitive?

Unknown with changing organic market?

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• Wheat is the most important grain.

• Followed by other grains and grain bi-products some

UK sources and others imported

• There is a wish to source more UK produced product.

Concern about real or perceived quality deficiencies in

UK produce.

A want and a need for a replacement for soya (and other

non-UK produced products ie sunflower expeller)

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• More work is needed to develop varieties and/or

production systems for protein crops that can be

produced organically in the UK.

• More robust and representative market information

needed.

Important for the sector as a whole to have such

information on both supply and demand.

Would allow for better business planning and the

sustainable development of the sector.

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Caveat & Thanks

• This survey has allowed a brief glimpse into the sector.

The results are from on a relatively small sample of a

small industry so need to be taken with some caution.

• But it does represent trends and overall position

• We would like to thank all those who kindly provided

information to us.

the organic research centre © the organic research centre a survey of uk feed organic grain demand...

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