Ballance looking at price changes

Global tensions are proving a tough hurdle to get over for one of New Zealand’s fertiliser co-operatives.

Ballance Agri-Nutrients has pointed the finger at political unrest in mineral-rich North Africa, and major global demand for an impending change to their fertiliser prices.

The co-operative will look at introducing new prices in the next two months.

Ballance sales general manager Willie Thomson told the Farming Show the high Kiwi dollar makes purchasing easier, but the market is tough.

“We’re competing for supply with the big boys around the world, Brazil, Russia, India, and China. And at the end of the day, we’ve got 2.2 million tonnes brought here to New Zealand, which is less than 1 per cent of global demand,” Thomson says.

And despite the high dollar, Thomson insists a profitable farming market is far more desirable.

“We would be far more comfortable with a dollar that allows farmers to be more competitive in the world market.

“The more competitive farmers are in the world market, the more dollars there will be going into their pocket, which allows them to buy more nutrients,” he says.