Our Pools
How They Work
- Members intake is pooled, blended and sorted into homogenised bulks and sold on premium contracts by our marketing partners.*
- There are 3 main pools with different marketing periods as shown alongside.
- Whilst final payment date is 2nd August 2027 members can take advances at any time, once crop has come in to store, within some parameters. The Winter Pool pays out earlier on 1st March 2027 but won’t have access to the carry premium often available with movements later in the season.
*There are exceptions for Feed Wheat/Feed Barley/Beans and OSR where we allow members to direct market crop as an alternative to allocating to the Camgrain pools
Camgrain Pool Performance
Last FOUR Years
This table illustrates the performance of the Camgrain pools over previous years, detailing the £ per tonne paid to members.
This provides a clear overview of how our pools have delivered for our members, reflecting both market conditions and our collective efforts to maximise value from your grain.
Click here to view our latest Marketing Report that contains details of payments for Annual, Biannual and Late Pools.
Pool Payment Advances
Access Your Cashflow Early
At Camgrain, we understand that cashflow is important to our members which is why we offer the option of advance payments. While the Winter Pool pays out in early March and the Annual and Late Pools in August, members who need access to their funds sooner can request an advance payment.
Standard vs. Non-Standard Advances
There are two types of advances: standard and non-standard, both designed to give you flexibility in accessing your funds when you need them.
- Standard Advances pay out 60% of a base price in early October and 20% in early March.
- Non-Standard Advances allow you to request an advance at any time within the same parameters, with 60% of the base price available by October and up to 80% by March. As we approach the August payout, we can increase this to 100% of the base price, provided there is no risk to the society in doing so.
Note: Advances are typically not made in July.
Interest on Advances
Interest on advances is charged at 2% above the Bank of England base rate - the same rate we are charged by our bank on our overdraft. As we move closer to the August payout, this rate may be reduced as we enter a surplus cash position, giving us more flexibility to pass on the benefits to our members.
The interest costs are deducted from your final pool payment, ensuring that the process remains transparent and manageable for you.
Store and Financial Surplus
At Camgrain, we operate in a unique and transparent way to ensure that our members are protected from the financial risks that have impacted other grain stores. Our co-operative model focuses on the security and value of your grain, and we take every step to keep your interests at the forefront of our operations.
Grain Ownership and Ring-Fenced Accounts
Camgrain operates an off-balance-sheet model where members retain full ownership of their grain even after delivery. To ensure financial security, all proceeds from grain sales are held in a ring-fenced bank account within a dedicated entity (Camgrain Ltd), protecting member interests and ensuring funds are managed separately from company operations.
The Surplus: What It Means for You
Following the completion of the pool process in August, Camgrain Ltd will distribute a surplus to each member who delivered grain into the Camgrain pools. This surplus will be paid on a per tonne basis to ensure collective value sharing.
In November 2025 this surplus payment was
£1.25 p/t.
The surplus itself is made up of two components:
- Financial Surplus: Revenue generated from the difference between member interest on advance payments and the actual net banking/overdraft costs.
- Store Surplus: Profit returned to members when efficient storage and handling (e.g., minimising weight loss during drying or cleaning) results in a higher than expected yield.
Returning Value to Members
The surplus distribution is a fundamental pillar of Camgrain’s co-operative model, designed to return all generated value to its members. By sharing financial successes, the organisation reinforces an ethos that prioritises member benefit over corporate profit.
Direct Market / DES
Direct Market Option
For Feed Wheat, we are combining the DES and Direct Market options this year on the Grain Returns.
DES stands for Direct Exchange Sale. Members have the flexibility to decide how to sell their non pool feed wheat after it comes in to store. They can sell on the futures exchange, to the marketing partner or to other third parties on an ex-Camgrain store basis.
Other feed products can also be sold on an ex-store basis to third parties.
For 2026 the Direct Market/DES fee is reduced to £3 p/t.
The fee is waived when the feed wheat is sold on the November 2026 contract.
In 2026 we are allowing members to sell their feed grain on the
Hectare Trading platform on an ex-store basis.
Hectare Trading
At Camgrain we recognise the need to adapt to our members' changing requirements and are committed to providing suitable options for those who choose to market outside Camgrain pools.
This collaboration enables members to sell feed grain via a bidding system ex-store Camgrain. With access to over 80 grain buyers, Hectare Trading allows you to sell when you need cash flow and decide whether to accept any offered price.
