Proper irrigation can be the difference between the success and failure of a crop. However, a centre pivot can be a significant expense for a farmer, and it is only fair to expect proper value in return for money invested.

What a farmers needs is an efficient, dependable and durable machine sup­ported by prompt service delivery, expert advice and a thorough under­standing of his or her needs.

According to Werner Jacobs, who farms on De Lagersdrif, near Stofberg in South Africa, Agrico offers all of this and a whole lot more.

Werner grows cash crops, and keeps Dorper sheep and Boran cattle. He plants 40 ha of crops under irrigation, including maize and soya beans in the summer, and oats, wheat, lucerne, Japanese radish and lucerne during the winter months.

When Werner decided to buy a pivot for his farm, he first contacted another supplier. After waiting several months in vain for service, he contacted Ag­rico. Within three weeks the pivot was installed on the farm and ready for action. How’s that for service?

Werner bought his first Agrico centre pivot in 2001. Little did he know that to this very day, that same pivot would still be operational. “When buying an Agrico pivot, you know the type of quality you are getting, and the chances that you will encounter issues are minimal,” he states.

Werner added several Agrico pivots to his farm in recent years. Today he has six Agrico pivots, and he considers purchasing more in the future. Accord­ing to Werner, when buying products from Agrico, you know that your money is being put to good use.

 Since his first Agrico pivot was set up on Werner’s farm in 2001, not a single pivot has collapsed here to this day. The veteran pivot of twenty years has worked 19 000 hours and is still going strong.

 “Agrico’s pivots really are tough. We still need to do basic maintenance, as you should do on any pivot, old or new, but the fact that this one is still working without major issues is just astounding,” Werner explains.

Jaco Swarts from the Agrico branch in Nigel is always available when Werner needs him. “What I appreci­ate most about Jaco is that he created a WhatsApp group with all his clients and checks in weekly. I never have to wait to hear from him, and he always provides feedback. Whenever I need something, he delivers it to my door­step,” Werner adds.

Agrico offers the farmer the peace of mind that his pastures and crops will not be affected by drought. It is not a cheap investment, but it is vital for the farmer who wants to expand his farming opera­tion and increase security of yields.

Werner utilises his irrigated crops for grazing to help fill the autumn-winter feed gap and reduce the cost of supplementary feeding. “The ability to irrigate the crops when needed also allows us to ensure that our livestock has enough feed during the winter months,” says Werner.

Werner describes the advantages that Agrico pivots have for him:

• Relatively low initial cost
• Low labour requirement
• Easy to manage
• Low maintenance
• Long lifetime

All Werner’s new machines are equipped with Agrico’s Cablesaver to prevent cable theft.

“Agrico is always available for main­tenance and consultation whenever issues present themselves, and to help you to prevent things from going wrong,” Werner says.

Agrico offers one-stop service on centre pivots: survey, design, manu­facture, delivery, installation, and after-sales service.

 To find out how you can benefit from an Agrico pivot, contact Agrico on +27 (0)83-455-5423 or +27 (0)21-950-4111. You can also send an e-mail to sales@agrico.co.za, or visit their website at www.agrico.co.za.