SIMA 2013: Meeting-place remains unchanged
AgroCentre has organised for its customers a trip to Paris to attend the SIMA 2013 International Agricultural Exhibition. Experts from different countries gather here biannially to learn about and discuss achievements in global agriculture. This year, over 300 foreign delegations attended the exhibition to see more than 1,300 exhibits and 1,550 brands.
“We're glad to be here with our colleagues and partners”, says Nikolay Ivanishchev, AgroCentre LLC Director General. “This is a fine opportunity for our farmers to deal directly with world class experts, to consult with them and to see the latest products”.
The excursion began at the largest stand of AGCO MACHINERY, which was the focus of attention not only due to the number of machines on display, but also because of the variety of the brands presented, such as Fendt, Challenger, Valtra and Massey Ferguson.
According to the AgroCentre sales experts, this year the Challenger caterpillar tractor presents a very special interest. Russian specialists were keen to see the Challenger РњРў 765РЎ tractor fitted with the new AGCO Power engine.
“This is the best machine in its class”, says Sergey Chichai, head of the Chelyabinsk branch of AgroCentreZakharovo LLC. “Featuring a reliable engine, it can, if used correctly, operate non-stop without repair for more than 10,000 hours. The dependable PowerShift gearbox excludes breakdown and downtime. The machine closely hugs the terrain, ensuring maximum adhesion with soil, which is good for its thrust. On seeing the Challenger SPRA-COUPE 4660 sprinkler, many customers became eager to acquire just such a thing. The machine features a large road clearance and a 125 hp engine, which enables it to work at really high speeds”.
Innovative developments and many years of expertise were embodied in the Vaderstad seeding and tilling equipment. The Tempo F8 row crop drill offers a completely new seed embedding technique. Its special advantage is thorough and precise seed embedding at a speed of up to 17 km/h. As from this year, the Russian farmers will have a 12-row drill. Also presented were new enlarged (from 540 to 610 mm) diameter discs for the Carrier 925 XL cultivator.
The Kverneland Group presented 19 Kverneland and 20 Vicon machines. A certificate of appreciation was awarded to new automatic distributor adjustment software. Special attention was given to the new CXII disc coulter. The focus was on electronic attachments to precise tilling systems like IsoMatch Tellus, IsoMatch InLine and IsoMatch Wireless.
On the Einbock stand, Valery Shmakov, director of Suyer LLC, Kurgan oblast, spotted the Pneumaticstar wide-grip harrow for his stock-raising farm.
“What a fine tool! It does several jobs at a time: combs well, levels out neatly and, simultaneously, does extra planting of fine-seeded herbs. A very simple, but highly efficient implement!”
The JCB Company demonstrated a variety of loaders.
“AgroCentre offers a range of JCB loaders on favourable terms”, notes Dmitry Ivanov, Sales Director of AgroCentreZakharovo LLC. “Its proposals also include various financial schemes for procuring the equipment. For our customers, we are a flexible and reliable partner, advantageously different from others”.
On the following day, the AgroCentre delegation visited the Bayard farm built as early as before WWI. The Russian group was accompanied by Frank Flery, AGCO Company's Sales Director for Eastern Europe.
Bayard is a small farm of 350 hectares engaging in potato growing. It grows mainly costly varieties for restaurants. During the excursion, the guests watched the entire production chain, i.e. potato storage – grading – washing – drying – packing. As the head of the company jokingly admits, the French are a lazy people, which is why they seek complete automation everywhere. Given that only 3 men are involved in the entire process, this looks like the real truth! However, their Russian colleagues emphatically disagreed on some points. Yuri Rytslov, director of the Mitrofanovsky potato production enterprise in the Chelyabinsk oblast, categorically objects to washing the potatoes.
“We quit potato washing long ago. Washed and clean, it keeps at best just a week. That means a loss! This year we plan to grow irrigated potatoes. AgroCentre came up with a profitable proposal concerning the irrigation technology”.
The follow-on days of the stay in Paris proved just as interesting. AgroCentre had prepared a rich entertainment programme, which included an outing to the Eiffel Tower, Moulin Rouge, and walks about Paris. Many wished to come here again in the same company. This means that in a year's time the SIMA will repeat itself and AgroCentre will be with it again!