LANDMARK has entered the increasingly competitive commodity fertiliser space with its new WA business Landmark Fertilisers.
Unveiled at the Landmark tent at the Dowerin GWN7 Machinery Field Days last week, Landmark regional sales manager David Rogers said the new business was well placed to meet the needs of growers across WA.
In what will be a shake-up in the $850 million per year WA fertiliser industry, Mr Rogers said he "made no apology" in entering what was already a competitive market.
"We have definitely got the attention of other people in the fertiliser market and I make no apologies for making it a more competitive market and giving farmers more choice when considering their fertiliser options," Mr Rogers said.
While details on the full range are still to be announced, Mr Rogers said Landmark Fertilisers would have a full cropping and pasture range as well as a range of liquid fertilisers in time for the 2017 season.
Custom blends will also be available.
Product will be sourced from overseas using Landmark and Agrium's existing supply partnerships.
"We have port facilities in Geraldton, Kwinana and liquid fertiliser capability and the ability to deliver bulk tanks out of Fremantle, Albany and Esperance, allowing growers to pick up fertiliser out on any locations - which is a big step for us," he said.
"We also hope to use Landmark Fertilisers to introduce complementary products from our Canadian parent company Agrium.
"They use a number of products successfully over there and this will allow us to bring those products in through Landmark Fertilisers and farmers will see some of those innovative products roll out over time."
Product will be available for growers with on-farm storage from November, but the bulk of product will be available in time for seeding next year.
Landmark Fertilisers will also be offering an online contract signing platform for next season for fertiliser orders and contracts.
Landmark is no stranger to commodity inputs, already selling a range of off-patent chemicals including glyphosate, 2,4-D and atrazine herbicides under its Genfarm brand.
Mr Rogers said like other Landmark products such as chemicals and insurance, local branches would act as sales agents for the fertiliser range with back-up from a field team. Landmark Fertilisers will be headed up by fertiliser sales and operations manager Natalie Adams and backed by the 200 plus sales and technical staff in Landmark's WA network.
"It has always been our endeavour to have rural people in our communities acting as sales agents for any range of products whether it be fertiliser chemicals finance or insurance,'' Mr Rogers said.
"We will continue that theme on and we have no intention of having all of our team based out of Perth.
"As we gain momentum, you'll see our field force increase and placed in the communities in the bush where they should be.
As well as offering a full fertiliser range, the new business is also taking on plant and soil analysis, with a new laboratory to open in WA this month and ready for the peak soil testing period during summer.
"All our soil and plant will go through this laboratory in Malaga and recommendations through our Nutriscription program will be based on WA's soil conditions and cropping programs," he said.
The new business follows the decision by CSBP to terminate its agreement with Landmark in April following concerns over a conflict of interest with Landmark selling its own range alongside CSBP products.
CSBP first raised its concerns last November when Landmark had advised it intended to buy fertiliser from overseas and directly sell it onto the WA market under an arrangement with United States supplier Koch.
Following the termination of the agreement Landmark has sold limited quantities of Landmark Fertilisers products over the past four months.
CSBP signed a sales and distribution agreement in June with Elders.
