FRAMLINGHAM-based farmers’ co-operative AtlasFram Group has hailed the performance of its crop marketing pools during the second quarter of 2012.

AtlasFram says that members who marketed their combinable crops through its April to June 2012 pools achieved substantially higher returns compared to the competition.

For a 1,000-acre arable farm following a typical rotation of winter wheat, beans, two winter wheats and oilseed rape, the difference was worth �35.59 per acre, representing additional income of �35,587.

AtlasFram members who marketed wheat through the group’s feed wheat pool benefited from a return of �166.05 per tonne, �12.05 per tonne higher than a leading competitor, while Group 3 soft wheat achieved �169.05 per tonne, a �10.05 per tonne advantage, and Group 1 milling wheat returned �182.05 per tonne, representing an additional �12.05 per tonne.

Oilseed rape achieved �375.38 per tonne, plus individual quality bonuses woth �15.38 per tonne more, while beans returned �212.83 per tonne, an extra �12.83 per tonne.

Figures compiled by farm management company Strutt & Parker show that a typical 1,000-acre farm growing 200 acres of Group 1 wheat, 200 acres of Group 3, 200 acres of feed wheat, together with 250 acres of oilseed rape and 150 acres of beans, would have received a total income of �600,387 from these crops where AtlasFram pools were used, compared with �564,800 for a competitor.

Richard Anscombe, chief Executive of the AtlasFram Group, said: “We are delighted with these results, which highlight the advantages of marketing through a co-operative which operates entirely in the best interests of its members.

“Our pools generate substantial additional profits for our members and the financial advantages which we have generated for them are substantial.”

Such a large difference should make others farmers think carefully about how to achieve the best returns, said Mr Anscombe.

“AtlasFram pools provide a simple, safe method of marketing grain and generate consistently above-average returns, but without the considerable risks of selling on the ‘spot’ market,” he added.