OVER a century of crop-growing at the Co-op came to an end yesterday with the £249 million sale of its farming business to the Wellcome Trust.

The struggling mutual will use the proceeds to pay down debt and invest in its remaining operations, which include food shops, funeral care and insurance.

Fifteen farms, including three packing sites, and almost 40,000 acres of land are part of the deal.

The Co-op said it was pleased to have found a buyer that would continue to invest and develop the farms business, which dates back to 1896.

The sites grow a variety of cereals, including wheat for bread flour, and a number of fruit and vegetables like potatoes, cider apples and peas.

However, the enterprise was not considered a core business to the Co-op as it supplied only a small proportion of the food sold in its stores.

The move followed last month’s sale of Co-op pharmacies to Bestway for £620m.