74 | Westland Farm Services on the rise Colin is a diesel mechanic who has worked his way through the agricultural machinery industry. Kelly Deeks Despite the current economic climate, business on the West Coast is looking promising, with primary industries thriving and a couple of gold products doing particularly well across the globe. West Coast Massey Ferguson dealer Colin Redpath of Westland Farm Services has recently had his best two weeks out of the past six months as positivity starts to dominate the marketplace. He says as well as gold prices being at an all time high, the local Westland Milk Products has delivered another record-breaking profit for the second successive year as it continues to divert more milk solids into higher-value products. “After building their $40 million butter plant in 2022, Westgold butter is now being sold in more than 3000 grocery outlets in the US, including Walmart, and their Kirkland butter is stocked in almost every Costco in the US as well as in Korea, Taiwan, and New Zealand,” Colin says. “Westland Milk Products is now spending a further $70 million on a new lactoferrin plant which will continue to reduce its reliance on infant formula for China.’ With Westland Milk Products employing about 500 local people and still growing, as well as continuing to pay farmers a 10c premium above Fonterra’s Farm Gate milk price until 2026, it’s easy to see why the sale of the co-operative dairy company to the Chinese Yili in 2019 can now be seen as a good move for the West Coast. “The West Coast is booming,” Colin says. “The dairy, the gold, the coal, the forestry. The pay outs are up in general, machinery is up in general, and people are more positive. The cost of running a business is still high, and that’s what farmers are feeling. The pay out is good but the cost of making that milk solid is still high.” RURAL SERVICES » Westland Farm Services Hokitika If you want proven performance, ultra reliability and less down time, Century Batteries are the solution. 0800 93 93 93 | centurybatteries.co.nz Don’t Compromise... Choose only the best PROUD TO SUPPORT WESTLAND FARM SERVICES HOKITIKA At least the weather has been favourable, and this summer was one of the West Coast’s best with many farmers taking four cuts of silage when they would normally get two or three. “It’s money in the bank for them.” YOUR LOCAL EXPERIENCED TEAM FOR RADIATORS & AUTO AIR CONDITIONING PROUD TO SUPPORT WESTLAND FARM SERVICES HOKITIKA RADIATORS: REPAIRS & REPLACEMENT AUTO AIR-CON: REPAIRS, REPLACEMENT, RE-GASSING, SERVICING www.burnsideradiators.co.nz 524 Wairakei Road, Burnside, Christchurch 8053 Servicing Christchurch, Canterbury and the South Island 03 359 4642
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