Disclaimer :

The Competition DG makes the information provided by the notifying parties in section 1.2 of Form CO available to the public in order to increase transparency. This information has been prepared by the notifying parties under their sole responsibility, and its content in no way prejudges the view the Commission may take of the planned operation. Nor can the Commission be held responsible for any incorrect or misleading information contained therein.

SECTION 1.2

Description of the concentration

On 31 May 2012, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 3 of Council regulation (EC) No. 139/2004 by which ForFarmers Goup B.V. ("ForFarmers") will acquire sole control of Agricola Group Ltd. ("Agricola"). Agricola is the holding company for a group of companies which operates under the trade name BOCM Pauls ("BOCM Pauls"). Agricola is currently owned by a large number of different shareholders.

BOCM Pauls is mainly active as a supplier of animal feed in the UK. It sells compound feed and blended feed for all types of livestock, especially cattle, pigs and poultry, under various trade marks. It also provides supplies to livestock farmers who home-mix their animal feed. This latter product range includes dry raw materials, moisture-rich single feed, compound feed and premixes.

ForFarmers is the holding company for an international group of companies active in the area of the production and sale of animal feed and also holds 57.7% of the shares in raw materials supplier Cefetra B.V. ("Cefetra").

-• ForFarmers produces and supplies animal feed and supplies other agricultural commodities (fertilisers, crop protecting agents and seed and planting material) in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany.

-• Cefetra is an international trading organisation that supplies raw materials to the feed, food and fuel industry. Supplying raw materials for animal feed accounts for over 90% of Cefetra’s activities.

-• ForFarmers also produces broiler breeders and sells them in the Netherlands and Germany and Belgium.

-• Finally, as an ancillary activity, ForFarmers also provides miscellaneous agricultural sector services relating to (i) the coordination of barn engineering and architecture, (ii) legal aspects of the farming business, such as environmental and building permits and subsidies, (iii) agricultural business development, and (iv) the acquisition of and trade in production rights, such as milk quota.

ForFarmers holds a 50% interest in HaBeMa Futtermittel GmbH & Co. KG, a German company located in Hamburg, Germany. HaBeMa is active as a manufacturer of compound

feed and as a storage and handling company of agricultural raw materials for the feed, food and fuel industry.