From Pat MacPhail
Many years ago West Ardnamurchan's crofters formed a syndicate to purchase beet pulp in bulk in order to get a better price. The late Alan MacLachlan organised it, then in 1997 I took over from him.
Once we get a price from our supplier I notify each crofter - there are 20 this year - and collate all the orders. We are usually the first to get our order in so as to get the best price offered. One week after I placed our order this year the price went up by £15.00 per ton! I then work out a collection schedule from each lorry, which arrives at 8am on consecutive Saturdays, and everyone arrives with various means of transport and it is all hands on deck until the lorry is empty.
Diary readers may find it interesting to note the price fluctuations over the last 10 years. It gives some idea of the difficulties of balancing a croft budget.
YEAR PRICE 2001 as 100%
2001 £ 119.00 100
2002 £ 110.00 92
2003 £ 118.00 99
2004 £ 132.00 111
2005 £ 130.00 109
2006 £ 144.00 121
2007 £ 186.00 156
2008 £ 215.00 181
2009 £ 160.00 134
2010 £ 202.00 170
This is the team last Saturday morning transferring the year's second delivery from the lorry to one of our trailers. Thank goodness for modern farm machinery! It was not so long ago that a 27 ton load was literally unloaded bag by bag, and in those days there could be 3 or 4 loads - not fun! It is always a great relief to me when everyone gets their correct order and I get their relevant cheques to send to the supplier.
The sheep aren't too worried about prices - they're just so pleased to have the supplement to help them through the winter.
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