The importance of trust in buying and selling grain
To optimize grain marketing, Sollio Agriculture advisors focus primarily on relationships of trust with farmers and buyers.
Straddling the responsibilities of both buyer and seller, grain merchant Christiane Boulet is very familiar with her role: offering farmers the best terms of sale.
We tend to believe that grain merchants just want to close out the best deals. It’s true that I do a lot of calculating, but my work is really about establishing good human relations.
Boulet, who is responsible for buying and selling grain at Sollio Agriculture, explains that her main task is to reach out to her suppliers and customers. “Talking to my people on a regular basis helps me identify price trends,” she says. “I follow the markets in the media very closely, but I get the most relevant information in the field.”
Transparent and personalized service
One of the key values that guides her work is transparency. “If I’m honest with my partners, I get honest feedback,” she says.
According to Boulet, personalized service is, among other things, what sets Sollio Agriculture’s approach apart. “We adapt according to the quality of the product. We bargain hard with buyers to find a win-win solution for farmers at the end of the day.”
The integrated offer is also an important benefit. “Farmers can buy their seeds from and sell their harvests to us,” says Boulet. “That’s peace of mind. Plus, grain merchants from the local cooperative are familiar with the farmers and their production.”
The benefit of Elite cereal grains
Boulet encourages farmers to grow cereals.
Wheat is a major ingredient in feed composition, and animals eat seven days a week, 365 days a year. That’s the case this year, and it will be the case next year, too.
Elite seed advisor Lyne Beaumont agrees, saying, “Since markets can be uncertain because of international trade tensions, it might be a good idea to diversify by growing cereals.”
She says that, from an agronomic standpoint, it’s also profitable to grow cereals. “It makes for healthy soil, and our seeds are really high-performance!”
In addition to excellent yields, farmers who choose Elite seeds also receive the exceptional support of agri-advisors from the cooperative network.
“As advisors, we’re up on the latest trends and best practices worldwide,” says Beaumont. “We make sure to share all our knowledge with the agri-advisors, so that they can provide farmers with support on a daily basis.”
The priority is helping farmers
Although the main buyers of oats have increased prices and the terms of sale in the past few years, last year’s drought had a major impact on harvests.
“I worked very hard to ensure that my customers bought oats even if the yield was not as high,” says Boulet. “I didn’t want farmers to get stuck with unsold harvests.”
She expects that next season will be much more clement.
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