Happy New Year from the Dickie Direct team who are refreshed and ready to get stuck into 2023.
We hope you are managing to enjoy some time off farm this month. If you have been impacted by the recent heavy rain events, we wish you all the best with your repairs and recovery.
While 2023 is not going to be without its challenges for farming and business in general, we feel fortunate to be tied to and supporting the primary sector.
We are always looking for opportunities to help our clients have more productive, profitable and environmentally sustainable farming operations. We look forward to working with you this year to achieve your objectives and to navigate the changing market conditions.
What are we doing to improve the return on your Nutrient Investment this Autumn?
At this time of year many of you may be thinking about your capital fertiliser application, but we think there is a more cost-effective solution. With freight and material costs now declining, Dickie Direct expects to be able to pass on reduced fertiliser costs as the year progresses.
So that our clients benefit from this as much as possible, we are recommending a maintenance application this Autumn and where feasible deferring the capital application until later in the year to maximise your return on nutrient investment.
Other strategies we have adopted to enhance nutrient return for our clients are outlined below:
- Proactive Pricing: Ensuring we are leading the way with price reductions.
- pH: Prioritising lime to ensure a soils pH is within the optimum range for plant production.
- Biology: When suitable, incorporating biological enhancers with key nutrients to ensure the soil can efficiently mineralise and uptake applied and existing nutrients.
- Nutrient efficiency: Ensuring we are using the right forms of nutrients to suit your farms soil type, climate and growth requirements, often using a blend of fast and slow releasing nutrients to achieve this.
- Custom blends: Only applying what is required.
Pricing Update
After three years of rising fertiliser costs, it gives us great pleasure to announce the following price decreases:
- DAP has reduced by $340/tonne to $1450/tonne
- Sulphur 90S has reduced by $115/tonne to $835/tonne
- Granulated RPR has reduced by $20/tonne to $545/tonne
These reductions come as a result of decreased commodity prices and decreased shipping costs. During the peak of the supply chain disruption period, we were faced with a 1000% increase in container shipping rates vs pre-pandemic levels. With these shipping increases added on average $250 tonne to our fertiliser prices. Our current shipping rates are now back to 250% of pre-pandemic rates (most of the world have now returned to rates similar to pre-pandemic rates, NZ shipping rates have been slower to reduce as a result of limited competition in the market).
As shipping rates continue to fall and new shipments arrive, we are confident we will be able to offer further price reductions.
If you would like to discuss options and pricing for any upcoming requirements, please do not hesitate to contact your Area Manager for a more in-depth price update.
We are searching for a Southern Waikato Area Manager
Dickie Direct is a growing business with a growing team. We are expanding our sales network and currently on the lookout for a Southern Waikato Area Manager. We look forward to investing in the right person to enhance our level of service in this region.
Our Area Managers work closely together, and all bring relevant and complementary knowledge/qualifications to the table. The team bring a passion for the primary industry to their work and are aligned around Dickie Direct’s core values:
- INTEGRITY: We only sell what is best for the farmer – every interaction is undertaken with a long term relationship in mind, even if it means Dickie Direct misses out on the sale.
- KNOWLEDGE: We are always well researched allowing us to offer clients the best advice and products.
- TEAM: There is no such thing as ‘not my job’. We are flexible and work as a team in order to get the job done in the most efficient manner.
- COMMUNICATION: We communicate proactively and professionally with our clients, suppliers and team mates.
- PRESENTATION: We present ourselves professionally throughout every touch point with potential and existing clients.
- ENVIRONMENT: Our primary focus is turning all nutrients into production, leaving no nutrient to be lost to the environment.
If you know of anyone who would be interested and a good fit for the role, I would appreciate hearing from you.
Summary
Our team look forward to working closely with you this Autumn. We have the products, knowledge and ideas to help you maximise production and returns.
Regards
Charles Dickie and the Dickie Direct team