Ukraine. Continental enters grain trading

Continental Farmers Group is expanding its business lines and launching its own trading.

As part of the development of this area, a trading company has been established in Geneva, Switzerland, which allows it to work effectively with global partners. Stable volumes of 150-200 thousand tons of products per month have already been achieved, and in the future the company plans to reach the level of 5-7 million tons per year, the Continental press service reports.

“Launching trading is a strategic decision that logically complements the company’s core activities and allows for the effective use of available resources: elevator capacity, a fleet of railway cars and a developed logistics system. Our trading model differs from the classic approach, which is based purely on buying and selling. We control the entire supply chain — from storage and transportation to the sale of products on international markets. This synergy between production and trading ensures flexibility and high efficiency in working with partners,” said Georg von Nolken, CEO of Continental.

The company’s trading activities are focused on key grain crops of the Black Sea region: wheat, barley, soybeans, corn and rapeseed. Continental started with the export of products of Ukrainian origin, but in parallel it is developing purchases in other countries, expanding its capabilities on the global market.

“The company’s main focus is the sale of grain to end buyers in ports. As for suppliers, for Continental these are both large agricultural producers who sell grain directly at the port and small farms with limited logistics capabilities,” Continental added.

For small producers, the company offers flexible solutions within its own sourcing program: farmers can sell products through Continental elevators or directly from farms.

For reference: Continental Farmers Group is an agricultural company that cultivates 195 thousand hectares of land in 5 regions of Western Ukraine: Ternopil, Lviv, Khmelnytskyi, Chernivtsi and Ivano-Frankivsk. The company specializes in crop production: it grows grain, oilseed and industrial crops, and is also one of the largest potato producers in Ukraine.

Tags: trading, Continental Farmers Group