Due to a fivefold increase in courier costs over the past three months, ARL has had to adjust its test pricing for the first time in over ten years. To cover its new costs, changes will be made from 1 June 2020. 

New prices

As charges from courier companies are increasing across the board, ARL is moving to cover its costs by adjusting its rates for the first time in over a decade.

In those ten years, the independently-accredited laboratory has processed 800,000 samples and the co-operative has invested over $6m in sophisticated testing equipment for greater efficiency and accuracy.

A typical soil test will go from being $70 to $76 and the shareholder discount will move from 15% to 10%.

 “Soil testing and greater precision over nutrient status remains a vital part of enabling smarter farming,” said ARL Manager Will Bodeker.

“Suppliers of consumables and courier companies have increased their charges several times over the past 10 years. We’ve invested in efficiency and automation to offset these rising overheads and we’ve managed to avoid raising our prices. But as courier services and others adjust to COVID-19 recovery, the size of the latest increase is not something the laboratory can absorb.”