Global agribusiness giant Cargill has announced it will close its rapeseed crushing plant in Hull, UK, by the end of the year due to “current market conditions”, World Grain reported.
Cargill has operated the 750 tonnes/day facility since 1985 following its acquisition from Croda Premier Oils, the 13 June report said.
According to Cargill’s website, the Hull plant produces approximately 420 tonnes/day of rapeseed meal and around 323 tonnes/day of rapeseed oil for use in a range of applications including food (margarines), biodiesel and animal feed.
While the rapeseed planted area in the UK is expected to increase in 2022/23, it is still well below historic levels due to the loss of pesticides, yield issues and volatile input costs, according to April’s report from the Foreign Agricultural Service of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Planted area was forecast to increase 17% from the previous year to 359,000ha, but was still down from the high of 756,000ha in 2012, World Grain wrote.
