Richmond says new website is a production tool

Export meat processor Richmond has joined the migration to e-commerce and launched a new website featuring a secure on-line business link for its most committed farmer suppliers.

Chief executive John Loughlin said the website, www.Richmondnz.com, had been created as a business tool to add value and enhance the farmer-company partnership.

"The website offers our most committed suppliers an exclusive e-business link to Richmond, giving them rapid access to records and financial data Richmond holds on their behalf," Mr Loughlin said.

While Richmond had taken longer than some of its competitors to develop a website, the priority had been to establish a business tool as well as another tool for marketing and communication.

A Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry survey has shown more than 60 per cent of farmers now have internet access.

Of the 500 sheep, beef and dairy farmers who took part in a telephone survey, more than half now used the internet as a business tool. They access farm information and livestock data, followed by online research, internet banking and buying farm supplies.

Mr Loughlin said one of the real attributes of the service was that farmers could receive their interim livestock processing results within one working day instead of waiting to receive them in the mail. They could also complete and update their livestock supply plans on-line, commit to contracts and view the latest schedules.

The site had been built for rural users, who should be able to view it within 10 to 15 seconds in spite of being disadvantaged with slower internet connections.