I can be anywhere in the world and still know exactly what is going on with my Agrico pivot… and I can even control it from my phone,” says Clint Bruyns from Kapinga Enterprises near Mazabuka.

ProAgri visited Clint on the farm Oklahoma which is being developed to produce sugar cane for the company’s sugar cane plant and transport hub. Sugar cane is an important sector in Kapinga’s mixed operations, which includes grain silos, a maize mill, a feedlot for their own cattle and shares in an abattoir, Eco Beef. Molasses from the sugar cane forms part of the feed rations for the cattle.

Clint says Oklahoma has mostly been used for row crops, but recently a contract for the provision of sugar has been signed and the farming operation will now focus on sugar cane with some feedcrops in rotation.

The high profile seven tower Agrico pivot which has been used to irrigate soya beans this season, will from now on be responsible for 51 hectares of sugar cane. There are other pivots on the farm, but Clint says they will walk the road with Agrico for all new developments when older pivots need to be replaced.

“It is all about efficiency and service,” he says.

Hy says Agrico really offers value for money; combining the fact that Agrico has a high quality manufacturing plant a short distance away in RSA, and a fantastic support and installation team right here in Zambia. This made the irrigation project very economical for him.

Agrico’s pivots are especially robust to deal with African conditions, with upgrades such as cable saver, wind saver, wheel saver and internet control available. Extra thick galvanising, rust free and reliable control systems, and auto flush valves. are standard features that distinguish Agrico Pivots from the rest.

Agrico Zambia has a team of designers and technicians who are ready to assist farmers with the best possible irrigation packages for their needs.

Clint says: “You can ask what you want. Agrico offers sprinkler packages suited to the crop and the soil with different droplet sizes and application rates available. I opted for a 9 mm/day package, taking 15 hours to complete a circle. Our soil has a heavy clay content and the area is very flat with no run-off of water. The soil holds water very well, so we do not need a high
application rate.”

He says if the system is not designed right and you over-irrigate, it is not only the crop that suffers, but also your pocket. “The capital cost will be unnecessarily high with larger pipes and bigger pumps, motors and switch gear. The running cost, including electricity and wear and tear will also be higher than necessary.”

Clint says that is why it is so important to team up with your pivot provider and to rely on their expertise as irrigation specialists.

“We know the people working at Agrico right from the top to the technicians on the ground. They were at Multicrop before Agrico bought the company, and it is to our advantage that Agrico retained them and their knowledge of local conditions. They are part of the family.”

Reliability, security and ease of operation are the other factors Clint is looking for in a pivot.

He says especially with the electronic- and internet controls of the system he can relax knowing what is going on. One of the safety features is that the pivot will stop automatically if a set of wheels get stuck – something that can possibly happen given the type of soil. Agrico also has a pivot track filler which they use after harvesting.

The control system can be set to send a message or even phone the farmer whenever there is any problem.

“You can set it to send a message when somebody opens the control panel, and if someone tries to steal the electric cables, you can also receive an alarm.”

He says the Advanced Rain control option that he chose is extremely user friendly and easy to work with. There is a small SIM card in the panel and for about K30 a month you are always in control.

The pivot itself is sturdy and constructed of good quality galvanised steel. The high profile pivot will leave enough headroom to irrigate even the tallest sugar cane.

With the support of Agrico, Oklahoma is set to be a sweet success.

You can talk to Sebastian Stobart from Agrico in Zambia at +260 96 7207084, or send an e-mail to sebastian.stobart@agrico.co.za. Also visit www.agrico.co.za to see their product range.