The next edition of this global program will start on January 19, 2022. Knowledge partners are the J.P. Morgan Center for Commodities at Denver business school (University of Colorado) and Singapore Management University (SMU). The target audience are talented employees (5-8 years of work experience) in the commodity trade industry broad (agri/soft; energy, metals/minerals) and active in the business lines trading, risk management, supply chain management, finance, analytics or sustainability. In the attached brochure you will find more information and details for registration.
On Friday 17 September about 30 golfers played for the 30st time for the golf trophy “The Zoeker”, this year on the beautiful golfcourse “de Batouwe”.
Malcolm Osseweijer (L. Hendrix) won with 40 stab. points before Dick Mohlmann (Olyx) and Alwin Coenradie (Olenex).
The Annual General Meeting will take place on Thursday 22 April 2021. Whether or not this will be held physically and combined with the Annual Dinner depends on the COVID-19 situation that time. Members are kept informed via website and Circular Letters.
The Authority concluded that methylacetate and ethyl-tert-butyl ether meet the criteria for acceptability as a previous cargo and amended the Annex to Regulation (EU) No 579/2014.
The AGM that was planned to be held on 23 April is postponed to 27 May 2020. Members can participate via a video Conference Meeting.
The meeting will start at 10.00 hours CET. Agenda and supporting documents will be circulated next week, together with the instructions for the video conference.
The Annual golf tournament, this year planned to be played on 15 June at the golfclub De Batouwe is cancelled due to the COVID-19 crisis. It will be postponed to May/June 2021. A date will be fixed early 2021. Members will be informed.
NOFOTA’s annual golf tournament will be held this year at golf course Golfclub Almeerderhout in Almere.
Golf Club Almeerderhout is located in a beautiful area in southern Flevoland, just over the Stichtse Brug. The golf course with four loops Gooimeer, Markermeer and IJmeer is located in the middle of nature, each par-36 and a challenging 9-hole par-3 course. The course is challenging because of its length, many doglegs, the water features, the 113 bunkers and the always unpredictable wind. But above all, the course is unique because of its tranquility.
All members received an invitation in the meantime. If you are interested to participate, please contact the secretariat of NOFOTA.
The Annual Report, including the financial statement for the year 2021 is now available on the members section of the website. It can be downloaded under the “publications” section. Members have received it together with the invitation and agenda for the AGM on 21 April. A copy can be requested also via the secretariat of NOFOTA.
We regret to inform you that the Annual Dinner and Annual General Meeting on 23 April 2020 are cancelled due to the Corona (Covid-19) virus outbreak in Europe.
We informed you in our previous message that NOFOTA acts in accordance with the instructions of the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment.
However, in the meantime, various members and/or their guests are prohibited to travel and/or have meeting restrictions due to the Corona (Covid-19) virus outbreak and are not allowed to attend meetings, seminars and (dinner) events.
Therefore, and in order to minimize the costs of cancellation, the NOFOTA Council decided to cancel the Annual Dinner and Annual General Meeting.
We will not postpone the Annual Dinner to a later date this year. Therefore, the next Annual Dinner will be held in April 2021.
A new date for the Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be set later this year. Members will be informed.
NOFOTA will be charged for cancellation costs and is currently discussing this with the catering company. NOFOTA will contact the members that purchased tickets/tables as soon as possible.
Hope to have informed you sufficiently.
CF Partners will be a new member of NOFOTA as per 1 January 2021. CF Partners is a leading risk management, supply and asset management group. CF Partners work with clients across energy procurement, risk mitigation and portfolio management.
As per 1 February 2022 the Trading Rules have been revised. Particularly the Rules for Arbitration (NRA) have been amended thoroughly.
The last revision of the Arbitration Rules was in 2015 in connection with the introduction of the new Arbitration Act. At that time, we mainly focused on the necessary adjustments in connection with the amendments to the law. There is now a desire to achieve further modernization, partly because the Corona crisis has shown that flexibility in conducting the procedures is necessary.
The main amendments in the Arbitration Rules are implemented to:
Furthermore, in the Criteria for Storage Companies on page 68, point 6 is deleted where reference is made to the Hygiene Code for the storage and handling of oils and fats. Reason to delete is that the hygiene code is not supported anymore by the branch association of storage companies in the Netherlands (VOTOB) and therefore also not by the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA).
Oilseeds Compared to the 2030 EU outlook baseline, COCERAL-UNISTOCK foresees that the production will decrease by -10%, -17%, -24% and -36%, respectively according to the low, medium, high and extreme impact scenarios. However, the production decrease is only observed for rapeseed and sunflower seeds. Soybean production is expected to grow compared to the baseline. For the full report please click here.
As per 17 July 2024 Contitank in Farmsum is added to the list of NOFOTA recognised storage companies.
We have received various questions regarding the NOFOTA Annual Dinner event on 23 April 2020 in Rotterdam, in relation to the Corona virus (Covid-19).
The NOFOTA Council pays close attention to the developments in the Netherlands and in Europe and will act in accordance with the instructions of the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) https://www.rivm.nl/en.
We will keep all members informed via the NOFOTA website and via Circular Letters.
During the Annual General Meeting of 27 May 2020 the members have accepted the Council’s proposal to elect Mr. Evert Schimmel as Honorary Member.
Mr. Schimmel has been a Council member in two periods. The first period was 1991-1999, in which he was a President from 1997 till 1999.
In his second period Mr. Schimmel joint the Council in 2012 till today 27 May 2020.
The Brewery, London
Greenwich University, London
FOSFA has decided to run the Introductory course and the Advanced course parallel from 4 – 9 September at the University of Greenwich in London. More information on the programme and on the registration can be found here.
The brochure contains information on the introductory course which will be held from 4-9 September and the advanced course from 19-24 June. Both courses will be held at the new venue being the University of Greenwich in London.
In addition, FOSFA announces the introduction of an annual educational bursary fund of £10,000, to provide four annual awards that give individuals employed in the trade valuable access to learning and training resources in all aspects of the international trade in oilseeds, oils and fats.
Tallow Chandlers Hall, London
As per 15 July 2024 Global UCO Company (Bonaire) and OrangeOils (Coevorden) will be a B-member of NOFOTA. Both companies are active in the trade of UCO, animals fats, fatty acids and POME.
Grand Elysee Hotel, Hamburg
The anniversary issues of the oils, fats and oilseeds magazine of 1926 and 1941 were discovered during the research for the NOFOTA anniversary book in 2018 and have recently been reproduced in limited editions in its original size. The 1926 issue is in English and the 1941 one in Dutch. Both issues deal in depth with production and trade of oils, fats, oilseeds and margarine with interviews of the key persons of our trade at that time. These magazines are a must have for anybody working in our business. These collectors’ items can be ordered via the secretariat at a cost of € 37.50 ex vat and delivery costs.
Mr. Michel van Irsen
Mr. Henk Ensing
Mr. Evert Schimmel
It is with the deepest sorrow that we inform you of the passing of our colleague, friend and Vice President Remond van Dorland.
Remond died on Wednesday 22 June at the age of 58.
Our thoughts are with his wife and his both sons in this difficult time.
Remond was next to his role as Director of Olenex an active and valued member of the Netherlands Oils, Fats and Oilseeds Trade Association (NOFOTA).
With his knowledge and experience in the vegetable oils and fats market he made an important contribution to the sector and our trade association.
Remond was a member of the Council from 2019-2021 representing FOSFA International and since 2021 member of the Council representing the industry of tropical oils.
We will sorely miss him in many ways.
As per 1 September 2022 optional clause 112 will be adopted in the NOFOTA Trading Rules. This clause will make it possible for companies that want to trade UCO’s as a forward “paper” contract.
This optional clause is entirely based on the successful NOFOTA Crude Rapeseedoil (RSO) FOB Dutch Mill (FDM)/Extank contract.
Launching optional clause for USED COOKING OILS (UCO) in the Trading Rules
As per 1 September 2022 optional clause 112 will be adopted in the NOFOTA Trading Rules. This clause will make it possible for companies that want to trade UCO’s as a forward “paper” contract.
This optional clause is entirely based on the successful NOFOTA Crude Rapeseedoil (RSO) FOB Dutch Mill (FDM)/Extank contract.
This option makes it possible:
• to hedge physical UCO trades
• to price benchmarking of physical UCO
• providing UCO trading opportunities
• market backed by physical delivery
Optional clause 112 will be published as follows:
As a result of non-payment of the annual membership fee the Council has decided to terminate the membership of ITT Netherlands B.V., located in Spijkenisse.
The 2021 MARPOL Annex II amendment of Regulation 1.23 and Regulation 13.7.1.4 will enter into force on 1 January 2021. This has been communicated by IMO in Resolution MEPC.315(74) (adopted on 17 May 2019). Mandatory prewashing by ships for Category Y substances will be extended to include all vegetable oil cargoes labelled as “persistent floaters.
This will have impact on the port operations in both Rotterdam and Amsterdam where vegetable and animal oils and fats are being discharged. The flyer shows guidelines for those parties active in the shipping, chartering and (discharge) terminals. The Rotterdam Port Authorities have created a flyer with information for parties that are active in the shipping, chartering and terminals. It can be downloaded here.
The revised Trading Rules will be in force as from the 1st of January 2021. Changes are the earlier announced addition of the United Kingdom in clauses 110 and 111. Besides some small textual changes further updates can be found in the list of standard analysis methods as well as the deletion of type of analysis on page 58 point 8.
Please be informed that, as from 12 may 2022, Mr. Björn Meyer is the new elected President of GROFOR. Mr. Meyer is Sales Lead at Cargill Global Edible Oil Solutions Europe.
NOFOTA, together with the Royal Dutch Grain Trade Association (Het Comité), decided to cancel the reception on 17 February 2022. Although the Corona measurements have been relaxed in the Netherlands it is still not possible to organise such an event. We will see if we can organise later this year an alternative event, together with the jubilee. We will keep you informed.
On Thursday 9 January the Royal Dutch Grain Trade Association and NOFOTA held their joint New Year’s Party in Stadsbrouwerij Thoms. This was the first time that both Royal associations organized this reception together. With about 140 participants there was plenty of room to network and glasses were raised on a prosperous new year!
NOFOTA has worked on a short overview of what the association stands for and what it represents. We are happy to show you herewith the new flyer.
During the Annual General Meeting that was held online on 22 April 2021 Mr. Jan Aalberts (Royal Smilde) was elected new President. Annemarie Keemink (ADM) handed over the proverbial hammer to Jan Aalberts. During his speech, the President refers to the Covid-19 situation, the impact on the trade and the fact that NOFOTA had to cancel their annual dinner two times. However, and the President refers to the anniversary book “The Eye of the Storm” the oils & fats and groundnuts industry has always adapt, adapt to the current, and to future situations! This makes our sector strong. For the full speech please click here.
The Dutch Meat Importers Association DMIA announced to stop using NOFOTA standard contracts for meat products as well as the arbitration facilities.
Since many many years NOFOTA publishes the standard contract Nos. 15, 26 and 27. This will ends as per the 1st of January 2021. Same counts for the arbitration facilities. Members or companies involved in the meat trade are advised to contact the DMIA secretariat.
It is with deepest sorrow to inform you that Mr. Hanns W. Salzer Levi died on Thursday 21 October 2021.
Mr. Levi served as Council member and President between 1969 and 1989. In 1989 Mr. Levi was appointed Honorary Member and President of NOFOTA.
Mr. Levi’s family, together with the Drake and Mayer-Wolf families set up NIDERA Handelsmaatschappij in 1920 in Rotterdam. He was a well known and well respected person in the oils, fats, oilseeds and grain trade.
We also thank Mr. Levi for his valuable contribution to NOFOTA’s biography, “The Eye of the Storm” that was written in 2018.
Fore more information regarding the memorial service, please click here.
VNAB, Boompjes 251, 3011 XZ Rotterdam
For further information on the program and registration, please find here.
The non-business days for 2024 are now available on the website under About us/non-business days
| Non-business days 2024 | |
| 1 January 29 March 1 April 9 May 20 May 24 December 25 December 26 December 31 December | New Years Day (Monday) Good Friday (Friday) Easter Monday Ascension Day Whit Monday Christmas Eve* (Tuesday) Christmas Day (Wednesday) Boxing Day (Thursday) New Year’s Eve* (Tuesday) |
Dates with an * indicate a half non-business day starting 12.00 hrs.
Oils & Fats International (OFI) announces the launch of OFI International 2024, featuring the 3rd Sustainable Vegetable Oil Conference, to be held at the Rotterdam Ahoy Convention Centre on 9-11 September 2024.
OFI International 2024 will bring together major players across the European, Asian and global oils and fats community under one roof, with a focus on ‘Solutions for Sustainability, Processing & Trade’. More information on the conference can be found here.
NOFOTA, MVO and FOSFA support the conference in various ways. NOFOTA members will get 20% discount on the conference rate by using this code: NOFOTA20 . You can register via this link.
AHOY conference, Rotterdam
For more information please download the following link. Registration can be done here.
As per 17 July Olyx B.V. is a new member of NOFOTA. Olyx is a broker in the field of Biodiesel, Biodiesel feedstocks, Biogas, Ethanol.
This tool can be used by people that deal with contract execution and want to test themselves if they have enough knowledge of the Trading Rules. Members have received access details for the test via the November Circular Letter.
A free online Training Tool is developed by the Contract Committee of NOFOTA. This tool can be used by people that deal with contract execution and want to test themselves if they have enough knowledge of the Trading Rules.
Click here for the free test, click here for the instruction to create an account.
The access code for the test is 2EV8G38V.
After completing the test you can see the correct answers and explanations of the questions via these instructions.
The list with participants for the coming Annual Dinner on 18 April in the Laurenskerk in Rotterdam is now available on the members section of the website.
The list will be regularly updated and can be found under the section “publications“.
NOFOTA publishes standard contract for oils, fats, oilseeds, groundnuts and meat.
It further publishes a list with companies that did not fulfilled their obligations under the arbitration award.
Members are being informed about contractual changes or any other relevant information by circular letters.
QTI Services B.V. located at Keenstraat 46 in Rotterdam has been added to the list of Recognized Laboratories as per 24 January 2022.
RTR For customs Services Co. in Alexandria, EGYPT is added as per 3 November 2022 to the list of postings as RTR did not fulfil their obligations under de arbitration award NOF02-22.
Last Thursday, the webinar ‘organic raw materials; developments and challenges’, under guidance of Bernd van de Meulen (food legal consultant), a number of interesting speakers were willing to share their views on the future of organic production.
Bavo van den Idsert, who works as an association manager at OPTA, kicked off with a presentation in which he gave insight into the expected developments of the organic market in the (near) future. You can find the presentation of Bavo van den Idsert here.
Subsequently, Diederik Samsom, cabinet chief of EU vice-president Frans Timmermans, gave the latest status regarding the future of organic products via a live connection. He cited, among other things, the Organic Action Plan recently launched by the EU Commission. It sets out how 25% of all agriculture growth will be organic by 2030, this compared with the current 8%.
In between the presentations, the participants were asked to answer a number of poll questions, so that, among other things, it became clear what the public opinion is on the ambitions of the Farm to Fork strategy and the expectations regarding the market share of organic in 2030.
Van Traa Lawyers Silvia Gawronski and Marc van Maanen, specialized in food law, spoke about the challenges and the prevention of liability regarding (de)certification, which they both eloquently call the “jungle”. You can find their presentation here.
All in all, a successful webinar that, in the opinion of all parties involved, can certainly be continued.
You can watch the full webinar here.
Bio Oil Sarl in Blat (Lebanon) has been added to the NOFOTA list of Postings. Companies who default on contract terms and who fail to honour awards against them, may be ‘posted’ as defaulters. The Council approved to add Bio Oil Sarl to the list.
Our kindred association the Royal Dutch Grain Trade Association (Het Comité) is now 150 years young. On the 3rd of January, it was exactly 150 years ago that six Rotterdam based companies founded the Association of Grain Traders. Throughout the year, the Association, which already received the Royal designation 50 years ago, will be celebrating her anniversary. “Het Comité” currently represents 120 companies and organisations that are active in the supply chain of grains, seeds and pulses, animal feed (raw materials) and bioenergy. Both royal associations, NOFOTA and Het Comité , have been working together very pleasantly for more than 103 years. NOFOTA congratulates the team of Het Comité and its members on this special and happy occasion!
Botanic Sanctuary, Antwerp BE
In the context of COVID-19, the NOFOTA Secretariat follows the guidelines of the WHO, the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (in Dutch: RIVM) and the national government. The NOFOTA Secretariat remains operational and will work ‘remote’ in any event up to and including 28 April, in order to guarantee the continuity of our services.
The health and safety of our staff and members is most important. Within the imposed restrictions with which we show solidarity, we make every effort to continue our services as optimal as possible. We hereby inform you that we strongly prefer electronic and telephone communication only, until further notice.
Arbitral hearings will be postponed till at least after 28 April. After that period it is investigated whether virtual hearings might be possible. We thank you in advance for your understanding and trust.
Recently NOFOTA received reports of fraud in the UCO market. This fraud would allegedly be committed by companies selling UCO on the European market under the applicability of the NOFOTA Trading Rules, issuing fake documents including bills of lading, certificates or origin, analysis’, insurances, etc. and requesting a (very) substantial prepayment. After prepayment, the consignee would be changed, and delivery would not take place. As we understand from the market, many companies would have been affected (members of NOFOTA as well as non-members). We advise to pay close attention. In case you have been affected by a fraudulent sale, we advise to report it to the police. We will keep our members informed in case of further information.
NOFOTA is against any form of fraud and completely distances itself from it.
Webinar online
As from 1st November 2021, the Unfair Trading Practices in Agriculture and Food Supply Chain Act entered into force. PLOUM lawyers is organizing a webinar.
The new Act has far-reaching consequences for the food industry and its suppliers and purchasers. The enforcement of the new Act rests with the Netherlands Authority for Consumers & Markets (ACM). Violations are punishable with heavy fines. Have you already checked whether your sales and purchase contracts contain (possibly) unlawful clauses? In this article, Marijn van Tuijl (PLOUM Lawyers) discusses the implications of the new Act. On 14 December 2021 (15:00 – 16:30) a webinar (in the Dutch language) will be held. NOFOTA-members can attend the webinar free of charge and can register here.
