Going South

Kuban is one of the leading agricultural regions of Russia. Favourable climatic conditions enable local farmers to produce a wide range of crops of the temperate and subtropical climatic zones. When it comes to cereals, sugar beet and sunflower, Krasnodar area is by far ahead of the entire country. Yet, such outstanding performance would be impossible without powerful cutting-edge machinery.

Over 400,000 people are engaged in the farming sector of Krasnodar area. The overall farm machinery fleet comprises 45,000 units. Around 150 dealers and equipment manufacturers operate in the region. AgroCentre joined the ranks of dealers of Krasnodar area in 2018 opening its 22nd and southernmost dealership.

‘Kuban has a saturated farm machinery market’, says Sergey Lushnikov, Director of Krasnodar branch of AgroCentre. ‘The large number of dealers creates fierce competition over orders for machinery of domestic and foreign makes. Therefore, we are working hard towards establishing the reputation and track record of the best dealer in the region.’

AgroCentre supplies local agricultural producers with Massey Ferguson self-propelled machinery (AGCO corporation) and Horsch trailed implements.

The versatile Massey Ferguson 6713 tractor is gaining popularity in the region. Operator-friendly and easy to maintain, the model is suitable for a wide range of applications both on the farm and in the field. The tractor is equipped with the AGCO Power™ 4-Cylinder 4.4 L 130 HP engine. The open-centre hydraulic system is powered by two gear pumps. One of the pumps ensures an oil flow of 34 l/min, the other allows the electronically controlled rear linkage to lift 5,200 kg.

‘The Massey Ferguson tractor lineup includes the 7 Series and 8 Series machines’, continues Sergey Lushnikov. ‘Over the previous financial year, our branch sold 30 self-propelled Massey Ferguson units, 19 of which were 6713 tractors.’

The latest addition to AgroCentre’s portfolio is a formidable pest control weapon — the Massey Ferguson 9330 self-propelled sprayer. The machine features AGCO Power’s tried and tested 66CW3 6.6 L engine delivering an impressive 200 hp. High torque at low revs of under 2,000 rpmensures immaculate performance and low engine noise. The technology offers excellent fuel economy giving the model an edge over the counterparts in its class. The Massey Ferguson 9330 comes with individual section switch-off sensors as standard equipment. Fitted with a navigational system, the unit saves chemical solution when running on the headland and excludes overlapping.

‘Last year, we purchased a Massey Ferguson 6713 tractor’, says Oleg Kononenko, Director of Kononenko farm. ‘Having studied the market and weighed the pros and cons of the models produced by domestic and foreign manufacturers, we opted for this machine. The Massey Ferguson 6713 outperforms its competitors due to its technical features, efficiency and ease of operation. We are happy with our choice and grateful to AgroCentre team for their professional support. We are very lucky to have such a reliable dealer.’

The German manufacturer Horsch is renowned worldwide for its extensive model range, high quality and best value for money. This year, the entire trailed equipment lineup of AgroCentre has become available for Krasnodar farmers. This season’s novelty in Russia is the Horsch Avatar disc seed drill.

‘The new Horsch Avatar seed drill offers unprecedented versatility’, says Sergey Lushnikov. ‘It is suitable for virtually any conditions: after mini-till or conventional seedbed preparation. The seed drill delivers excellent results on heavy, loamy and stony soils. Its performance is reliable even in corn and sunflower residue.’

The Horsch Avatar comes in working widths of 6 m (9,300 kg) and 12 m (19,000 kg). The engineers have increased the disc coulter pressure up to 250 kg per individual row thus ensuring good soil penetration and precise seed placement. The two-row disk system reduces the power requirement from the tractor. The coulter depth is controlled via the upgraded version of the rubber torsion system.

The row distance is 16.7 cm at a 6-metre working width and 25 cm – at 12 metres. The seed hopper capacity of the Horsch Avatar grain drills is 5,000 and 5,800 litres, respectively. The unit is controlled via the standard ISOBUS terminal.

‘Next year, we are planning to expand our equipment range with the tillage implements from Einbock’, says Sergey Lushnikov. ‘Their portfolio comprises stubble cultivators, tine harrows, seedbed preparation implements and row-crop cultivators. The quality, versatility and adaptability of the equipment to the Russian conditions has already been proved in the fields of our farmers. Besides, we intend to ramp up Massey Ferguson machinery sales and introduce Horsch implements to the domestic market.’

The season has been challenging for Kuban farmers: the lockdown took its toll on the production process while lack of soil moisture resulted in reduced yields. Krasnodar branch of AgroCentre provides a comprehensive support to local farmers. The company offers favourable leasing conditions with convenient payment terms, which will enable agricultural producers to cut their costs and create a solid foundation for future success.’

By Viktor BARGOTIN