Co-operative approach gets farmers a better deal

摘要

During February 2008 Western Australian based United Farmers Co-operative merged with Ravensdown Fertiliser Co-operative (Ravensdown), a New Zealand fertiliser co-operative with more than 30 years experience in servicing the New Zealand agricultural industry. Ravensdown also specialises in the provision of agricultural chemicals and animal health products. The result was the first true trans-Tasman co-operative. Today, Ravensdown United Farmers is owned by more than 30,000 farmer shareholders of which, almost 4000 are Australian. Since if s short time in the Australian market Ravensdown United Farmer's has developed a 15 per cent share in the WA fertiliser market making it the State's third largest supplier. The co-operative has supplied on average230,000 tonnes of fertiliser per year for the past four years.