Business Weekly - Cambridge, UK

Representatives from both cooperatives believe the move would help to reduce the amount members pay for their main agricultural inputs such as agrochemicals, feed, fertilizer, seed and fuel as well as building supplies, electricity, mobile phones, insurance and weather forecasting. “With 70 members and an annual turnover of £1.5 million, we’ve become small fry in terms of our buying power,” said Philip Collison of King’s Lynn Farmers.

“Anglia Farmers has a negotiating turnover of £105 million and therefore achieves much more attractive prices for its members.

“Added to which they can offer good prices on a wide range of ancillary items. It therefore made sense to set up an arrangement giving our members the opportunity to join and benefit from what Anglia Farmers has to offer.”

Anglia Farmers is a mutual cooperative farmer-owned buying group formed from the merger of Norfolk buying groups, Loddon Farmers and Mid-Norfolk Farmers Limited.