Thursday, 02 April 2020 14:05

Farmers adapt well to new sales model

Written by  Sudesh Kissun
Farm Source has closed all its stores: orders are placed online or over the phone. Farm Source has closed all its stores: orders are placed online or over the phone.

Fonterra’s rural service subsidiary, Farm Source says farmer shareholders are adapting well to its new trading model under COVID-19 restrictions. 

Thanks to COVID-19, Farm Source has closed all its stores: orders are placed online or over the phone.

Farmers can either collect their purchases outside the store or are dropped off at “zero-contact” collection point on-farm.

Farm Source head Richard Allen says the service has been well adopted by farmers across the country. 

“Sales traffic was high in the first few days, which was not unexpected. Traffic has now reduced to more normal levels and aligned to more seasonal patterns.”

“Our phone-based service centre and online sales channel have come into their own: staff and farmers have adopted and respected this way of operating in a short period of time.”

Allen, who also looks after milk collection, says the co-op isn’t experiencing disruption or significant drop in production at this stage. 

“Agriculture essential and prioritised in the lock-down for business continuity: farmers continuing to work hard on-farm and we are continuing to collect and process their milk.”

More like this

Featured

GP Rural: New Pathway Proposed to Fix Rural GP Shortage

The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (the College) and Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Health Network are calling for investment in a proposed new training pathway for rural GPs, warning that many rural practices are struggling to recruit while a large share of the existing workforce nears retirement.

CODC Sludge-to-Lauder Plan Slammed by Federated Farmers

Federated Farmers has called on Central Otago District Council (CODC) to drop or vote down a plan to truck sludge from Alexandra and Cromwell to farmland near Lauder, warning it would compound an "outrageous" situation created by a separate council's decision weeks earlier.

Southland Farmers Face Wet Weather Toll, Support Available

Farmers across parts of Southland and South Otago are continuing to deal with difficult conditions after a prolonged run of wet weather, with pressure building around feed supply, stock management, pasture damage, farm infrastructure and everyday workloads.

National

Machinery & Products

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter