Buying group attracts 150 new members in six months

Latest figures show that 150 members have joined agricultural buying group Anglia Farmers during the last six months. This is an increase of 30% on the previous six months.

The growing attraction is based on providing potential members with hard evidence that, however keen their own buying, they will make considerable savings through the group's collective purchasing power.

Savings (see table in attached document) have been calculated by comparing real prices from invoices supplied by non-members with actual prices achieved by Anglia Farmers.

One farmer gave the group his gas oil invoices for a seven month period accounting for just over 18,000 litres. Comparing like for like on the same seven-month period, the group was able to prove that if he were a member he would have saved £478.51.

Again using non-members' keenest prices, benchmarking on fertiliser shows savings of up to £17.55 per tonne. This biggest saving is achieved by encouraging members to forward plan with bulk orders being placed in June.

Other figures in the table speak for themselves including ancillary items such as telecommunications, motor vehicles and building materials – a sector which is growing rapidly for the buying group and attracts useful orders from non-farming members.

Commenting, Clarke Willis, chief executive of Anglia Farmers said:

"Various farmers – even the larger ones buying inputs for 20,000 acres or more – want real proof that we can save them money before they commit to membership. So far, we are able to provide real evidence on each and every occasion, whatever the product or service. "