Knowledge is the core of our strategy

Agrifirm Cooperative is satisfied with the profit figures for 2016† This despite the large drop in turnover, less profit and a decreasing feed volume. General director of Agrifirm Dick Hordijk: 'When we look at various aspects, we see that the profit has not really decreased.'

The NuScience premix division and the valorisation of knowledge in particular offer Agrifirm members prospects of return on the capital they have invested in the cooperative. This year Agrifirm will pay out approximately 33 million euros. Shareholders' equity rose to 53 percent, while profit decreased from 76,2 million euros in 2015 to 30,6 million euros in 2016.

How can equity increase if profits fall?
If you take into account the extraordinary benefits, which were the result of the sale of the poultry slaughterhouse Plukon and the mechanization branch Abemec to Baywa last year, the profits of 2015 and 2016 are fairly comparable. Profits have therefore not decreased in that respect.

The fact that solvency has increased despite unchanged profit figures has to do with working capital management. Debts have been canceled, debtors have paid and inventories have been valued. 

U says that Agrifirm's pig farming division is once again producing top quality feed. Wasn't that the case before?
Investing in the Veghel factory was necessary. Those investments will be completed in July this year. That is, for us, a step in the right direction. Now we can take steps towards a higher level. Those steps are not about the quality of the feed itself, but about logistics. We don't want any more delays in delivery time. Although I am already very happy with the quality of our production process.

Agrifirm speaks of a very cautious price recovery in pig farming, just like ForFarmers yesterday did. However, is the price recovery quite decent? Piglet prices are even rising to great heights.
The recovery is indeed continuing and that is a good thing. Naturally, we have the same vision as ForFarmers about the development of the pig herd in the Netherlands. The numbers are under considerable pressure.

Do you think that the feed track needs to be tightened up even more, now that the livestock has to shrink considerably? For example, with standards for the use of by-products and simple raw materials? This feed flow is growing.
Within Agrifirm, we are taking into account a significant contraction in the dairy herd. That is why we study this subject intensively. We will be making announcements on this subject shortly, but it's too early for that right now. 

Agrifirm has, however, developed the Mineral Planner. This includes the mineral utilization in the entire cycle, including the roughage. The contribution of minerals in by-products and simple raw materials is small. 

Agrifirm's Plant division achieved a higher turnover with crop protection products. What is that thanks to?
We have greatly increased our market share and made customer gains through the knowledge we have. There is so much going on in this file. Greening, dose reduction, et cetera. Without crop protection products, agricultural productivity falls. 

Knowledge is the core of our strategy. We are incredibly strong at that. We will also export that, so that our members can benefit extra. This can be done, for example, in China, where potato cultivation is now being introduced in addition to rice, with Agrifirm's advice.

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