Mr McMahon's firm, C and D Marketing, has been importing the herbicide glyphosate in containers from Malaysia in recent months and delivering it direct to farmer clients unhappy at the high price for that product also.

He now plans to start importing urea in one tonne bulker bags as early as this month from the Ukraine or Russia, and had inquiries about importing MAP fertiliser.

Mr McMahon, whose company imports a wide range of products and equipment, said he was acting in response to frequent requests from farmers - some as far away as Queensland and South Australia - as to whether he could help them obtain fertiliser and herbicide more cheaply.

See the full article in this week's The Land, out Thursday January 8.