Potato growers benefit from buying group

British Potato 2009 (25 & 26 November)
AngliaFarmers - Hall 1, Stand 120

Agricultural purchasing group Anglia Farmers says its potato-growing members can make considerable savings on their overhead costs.

Members within the group of 1900 farmers and other rural businesses grow more than 20,000 hectares of potatoes, representing about 15% of the UK’s potato output. Purchasing power on all inputs, including electricity, is helping many growers at a crucial time.

“Variable costs are fluctuating more and more - as are crop prices - and we are very conscious that overheads need to be minimised so that our members can be as competitive as possible,” said Ashley Gilman, member business manager for Anglia Farmers.

“Yields are up which is great but high input costs and low market prices for potatoes really hit profit margins. This is where we can help our members control cost throughout their production process, sourcing inputs, equipment and power at highly competitive rates. Using electricity as an example, without membership we estimate that controlled storage of potatoes costs around £5 a tonne. We can help to significantly reduce this figure.

“We provide an immediate and cost-effective purchasing network for potato growers. British Potato 2009 gives us the perfect opportunity to demonstrate this to and to show how we work with suppliers to help secure their future rather than simply hammering out the best deal.”