The year 2021 turned out to be a very good year for the Cesena-based seed cooperative CAC. On Sunday, 8 May 2022, the members' meeting approved the balance sheet with €43.5 million in sales, €1.4 million in profits, and €26 million in shareholder cash settlement.
A moment of the assembly of 8 May 2022
"The irregular seasonal trend is now the only sure thing - explained CAC President Giovanni Piersanti - and 2021 was no different, with one of the droughtiest campaigns from January to July. Despite some difficulties for late sown standard crops with no irrigation support, the two-year and irrigated crops have been successful."
The onion, bunching onion, cucurbits and chicory, cabbage and brassicas performed well. Regarding sugar beets, 2021 was the first year of propagation management for a world-class customer, with excellent results. Nearly all standard crops had yields in line or above average. The only low performing crops were peas, which were severely impacted by the spring drought, and cilantro.
For the third year, due to the health emergency, hundreds of members discussed and approved the budget in live streaming, connected from different locations in the six provinces of Forlì-Cesena, Ravenna, Perugia, Ancona, Fermo and Campobasso.
The Cooperativa Agricola Cesenate - which is one of the main international companies in the field of seed multiplication, established back in 1948 - today unites about 2,000 agricultural entrepreneurs, spread over seven Italian regions and is recognized as the first Interregional Producers' Organization. The economic activity of C. A. C. is strongly oriented to export in Europe and Far East, where it achieves 75% of its turnover.
The value of production, including the growers' association business, is 43.5 million euros (+8.9% compared to 2020) and it generates a payout to members of about 26 million euros. The quality premium recognized to farmers is close to 3 million euros, a record amount that has never been reached previously.
Year 2021 marked a period of great change for CAC with the nomination of a new management team. "The new management team is made up of trained managers with a long history within the cooperative, which shows how crucial it is to enhance and grow in-house skills," explained Andrea Maltoni, management coordinator.
The head of planning and management control, Tania Buda, presented a budget forecast for 2022. Despite the overall and very important increase in the number of hectares cultivated by farmer members (+27.1%) and in the expected net quintals (+35.1%), a slight decrease in profit is expected, also due to the strong increase in the costs of raw materials.
For more information:
C.A.C. – Cooperativa Agricola Cesenate
Via Calcinaro, 1450
47521 Martorano di Cesena (FC)
+39 0547 643511
[email protected]
www.cacseeds.it