31 Aug 2010

Ballance well placed to smooth fertiliser prices

6:16 am on 31 August 2010

Ballance Agri-Nutrients says it's now well placed to smooth out fertiliser prices for farmers, after being forced to sacrifice its profit margins in recent years.

The cooperative has made a marked turnaround in performance over the past year posting a $21 million trading result, after making a loss of $6 million loss the year before.

Chief executive Larry Bilodeau says a fall in world commodity prices and an increase in sales contributed to the improved result.

He says Ballance has also reshaped its operations so any sudden spike in fertiliser prices can be managed by the company.

But he says prices are not expected to change much over the next year.

Meanwhile, a decision is pending over a legal battle between the cooperative and Ravensdown.

Ballance is challenging Ravensdown's plans to patent the delivery method of nitrification inhibitors in the High Court in Auckland, where the judge has reserved her decision.