Arable Farmers Shift to Dairy as Fuel and Fertiliser Costs Surge
Some arable farmers are getting out of arable and converting to dairy in the faced of soaring fuel and fertiliser prices on top of a very poor growing season.
Following a successful pilot last year, the initiative has been broadened to include a wider product range, so more farmers and growers can benefit from fixed pricing.
From today, eligible Ballance shareholders can apply for the set price for a period of seven months starting from the 1 May.
Ballance general manager customer Jason Minkhorst says the offer helps shareholders seeking more certainty around their input costs.
“Much like fixing an interest rate for your mortgage, this offer allows farmers to lock in their fertiliser requirements at a set price, helping them mitigate risk and plan ahead,” he says.
Building on last year’s success, the range has also been expanded beyond the initial pilot products, Nrich Urea and SustaiN to include a wider range.
Minkhorst says a common customer concern is price fluctuations across the board are making it difficult to plan ahead.
“This offer gives flexibility to help manage margins for fixed prices on outputs like milk and grain,” he says.
Offer details
Shareholders can access the fixed price offer for half or all of their order for a seven-month contract period from the 1 May to the 30 November 2025.
A minimum contract volume of ten tonnes, or five tonnes for YaraMila Complex, and a maximum contract volume of 500 tonnes or 100 tonnes for each of the Yara range.
Range includes:
- Nrich Urea 1 t and 500 kg bags
- SustaiN 1 t and 500 kg bags
- YaraMila Complex – 1.2 t, 500 and 20 kg bags
- YaraMila ActyvaS – 1.2 t and 500 kg bags
- YaraMIla 8-11-20 – 1.2 t and 500 kg bags
- DAP 1 t and 500 kg bags
- Nrich SOA 1 t and 500 kg bags
Applications open on 9th April 2025. Further details can be found here: https://ballance.co.nz/fixed-price
