With soaring energy prices affecting poultry farmers’ operations, Coöperatie DEP and BMC Moerdijk have jointly decided to lower rates for members of Coöperatie DEP and link them to the price of electricity. Gerd-Jan de Leeuw, General Manager of BMC Moerdijk, explains more: ‘We produce renewable electricity from all the poultry manure supplied by the members of Coöperatie DEP. In total, this is enough electricity to cover the energy needs of all supplying poultry farmers as well as 40,000 households. That’s why we’ve now agreed that the higher the price of electricity, the more money the members will receive from Coöperatie DEP for the poultry manure. This measure will limit the impact of high energy prices on poultry farmers.’
The new rates are independent of transport distance: a poultry farmer located in the north or centre of the country will be subject to the same rate as a poultry farmer in the south. As a result, there will be no more fuel allowance. This completely removes the risk of rising transport costs for the poultry farmer.
The rates will be set twice a year (on 1 October and 1 April) for 6 months based on the traded electricity price (EPEX day-ahead) in the previous six months. The following price scale applies (per ton, payable by Coöperatie DEP):
| Price of electricity (per MWh) | |||||
| Quality | <€125 | €125-€175 | €175-€225 | €225-€275 | €275-€325 |
| Class A | €0,00 | €1,75 | €6,25 | €10,25 | €14,25 |
| Class B | -€1,50 | €0,25 | €4,75 | €8,75 | €12,75 |
| Class C | -€5,75 | -€4,00 | €0,50 | €4,50 | €8,50 |
| Class D | -€10,00 | -€8,25 | -€3,75 | €0,25 | €4,25 |
Rates shown areexclusive of VAT and sampling costs, assuming full loads and transport with semi-trailers. If there is a positive price for poultry manure, Coöperatie DEP will pay poultry farmers. Should the electricity price exceed €325/MWh, the price scale in the table above will be extended accordingly (the price for poultry manure increases by €4/t per €50/MWh). Class A: broilers, turkeys, rearing hens, forced-dried tunnel poultry manure; Class B: aviary hens, parent-stock animals with excellent manure quality; Class C: barn layers, parent-stock animals with good manure quality and Class D: barn layers, parent-stock animals with sufficient manure quality.
From 1 October 2022 to 31 March 2023, members of Coöperatie DEP will receive €14.25 per ton of Class A manure (including broiler manure) and €4.25 per ton of Class D manure.
As a member of Coöperatie DEP, poultry farmers can rest assured that their manure will be properly disposed of, even in the event of emergencies. Wil van der Heijden, Director of Coöperatie DEP: ‘Members can also count on Coöperatie DEP if there’s an emergency, such as an outbreak of bird flu on their farms. In such situations, BMC Moerdijk will collect the manure at no extra cost and safely process it. However, the manure must still meet quality requirements.’
By supplying manure to BMC Moerdijk, poultry farmers can contribute to the production of sustainable electricity, help to achieve climate goals, and close nutrient cycles, such as the phosphate and potassium cycles.
Poultry farmers who do not yet supply poultry manure to Coöperatie DEP can call +31 (0)499-320415 or e-mail info@cooperatiedep.nl for more information on the new rates.