New Online Fertiliser Store To Cut Costs for Kiwi Farmers

New Online Fertiliser Store Launched To Cut Costs for Kiwi Farmers

Tauranga, 5th June 2014 - The cost of buying fertiliser in New Zealand is about to fall substantially thanks to a new online store which will save farmers as much as $85 per tonne on standard products.

FertDirect launched its new website over Queen’s Birthday weekend (www.fertdirect.co.nz) and supplies both New Zealand-based and import-to-order products.

It’s the first online service of its kind to be offered nationwide and FertDirect Business Manager Rob Williams says it’s designed to save farmers money without compromising on quality.

“Our aim is to deliver factory to farm savings. By cutting out all the infrastructure, salesman and other costs involved with the traditional fertiliser supply chain, we can pass those savings straight to our customers,” he explains.

Farmers simply need to choose their product, tonnage, and which New Zealand port they want their fertiliser delivered to. Imports generally take 6 to 8 weeks to arrive while New Zealand-based products can be delivered immediately to the farm.

“Our staff have over 30 years’ experience in the fertiliser industry so we have a strong network of international manufacturers and suppliers behind us,” Williams says.

“That enables us to work directly for farmers – sourcing fertiliser from manufacturers, arranging production, paperwork, shipping, customs, tax, port clearances and devanning. All our customers need to do is arrange delivery to their farm.”

Williams says even when transport costs are taken into account, FertDirect will still be a much cheaper option when compared to New Zealand’s other main suppliers.

“Transport prices for full truck loads are very competitive. And if farmers were buying bagged fertiliser through their local store they would have to pay a ‘through store charge’ on top of the price per tonne plus a bagging fee. You won’t face that extra cost when buying from us.”

FertDirect was formed earlier this year after a successful trial in the Waikato and Bay of Plenty in 2013.

“We wanted to test our sales process to make sure manufacturers could meet our delivery times and product specifications – which they did,” Williams says.

“We sold about 1000 tonne of product during the trial and passed on savings of over $60,000 to those farmers involved. They were really pleased with the product they got and all of them have re-ordered again so we knew we were onto a winner.”

FertDirect specialises in stand-alone products such as ammonium sulphate and guano phosphate and Williams says quality is paramount.

All FertDirect products are tested prior to shipping to ensure they meet specifications and arrive in good condition. Once they reach our shores, samples are again taken from every container and sent to a New Zealand laboratory for further testing. Batch numbers are recorded for every order dispatched to maintain quality control.

“We are offering farmers the opportunity to plan ahead and get the best possible price for the basic fertiliser products they need.”

Williams is also encouraging farmers to contact FertDirect to discuss other fertiliser products they may wish to buy that aren’t currently listed on the website.

The website’s online ordering system is fast and easy to use, and prices cover delivery to ports in Bluff, Dunedin, Lyttleton, Mount Maunganui and Napier. “If you would like a quote to another port simply complete our online enquiry form and we’ll email you a price.”

ENDS

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