Co-op Group to sell farming business

The Co-op Group is expected to sell off its farming operation after revealing a £2bn loss for 2013.

The group often calls itself “Britain’s big farmer” and has 14 farms across the UK, covering 50,000 acres.

Chief executive Euan Sutherland will tell the group’s regional boards on Saturday that this is the first stage in a revitalization of the co-operative.

It will also consider the sale of its 750 pharmacies.

A Co-op spokesman said, “As part of the wider strategic review of all of its businesses, the Co-operative Group has decided that its farms are non-core and has started a process that is expected to lead to a sale of the business.”