Innovation parade

Twenty farming machines fell into rank like soldiers on a parade ground welcoming the guests of the joint Field Day hosted by AGCO-RM and AgroCentre.

Over 200 guests of the neighbouring region gathered at the demonstration site of the largest dealership facility in Europe – AgroCentre dealership centre in Lipetsk oblast.

‘We are going to present both novelties and the well-known machines which operate everywhere from Krasnoyarsk to Bryansk’, said Nikolay Ivanishchev, Director General of AgroCentre-Holding. ‘All these machines have one thing in common – the cutting-edge dynamic solutions capable of bringing maximum profit to farmers. I think this is just what present-day farmers are looking for.’

The guests really showed a keen interest in the machines. Even the pouring rains did not bother them. Armed with raincoats, the farmers consulted sales managers matching the machines to their needs.

‘Import substitution is impossible without new technologies’, says Nikolay Tagintsev, Head of Administration of Lipetsk oblast, welcoming the guests. ‘That is why all the agricultural producers are here today! We are grateful to AgroCentre for being the basis for the development of state-of-the art technologies in the region.’

The machinery parade was headed by the Challenger MT 845С (460 hp) tractor. Farmers value the 800 Series tractors with the capacity of 610 hp for gentle soil handling, low slippage and an opportunity to start the sowing campaign earlier than their wheeled brothers.

‘The Massey Ferguson 8690 (370 hp) tractor was met with loud applauds. These machines have earned a good reputation for the wide range of capacities, ease of operation and reliability. Over two hundred thousand tractors of this model are produced every year.

‘Since 2013, these tractors are assembled in Russia at AGCO-RM factory in Golitsyno', comments Mikhail Zbar, AGCO Sales Director. ‘We are applying our best efforts to make these tractors eligible for governmental subsidising as machines produced in Russia. Currently, the tractor can be purchased in leasing under favourable conditions offered by AGCO Finance, like many other machines produced by our company.

The self-propelled Massey Ferguson 9840 (137 hp) mower literally burst into the demonstration area: 25 km/h is its normal working speed. Together with a 7.6-meter draper header, the mower will help farmers to compete fodder harvesting within very short fodder preparation period.

Another tractor, the Massey Ferguson 7624 (235 hp), entered the demonstration grounds in tandem with the Massey Ferguson 2270 baler. This machine is very simple and reliable. The accessory drive with automatic belt oiling reduces maintenance costs and time. The powerful pressing chamber has a system of automatic bale density regulation driven by the baler’s hydraulic system.

The guests were also fascinated by a machine capable of ideal performance in non-ideal conditions – the Massey Ferguson 7370 Beta forage harvester. All the running components are reinforced, which allows avoiding breakages and downtime during the harvesting. The combine was equipped with a 7.7-meter PowerFlow grain header. The header uniformly feeds the mowed plants heads first, which ensures stable loading of the separator and improves performance and threshing quality.

The compact and manoeuvrable Valtra T193Н (190 hp) tractor back-drove to the viewers. The unique integrated secondary steering system enables the operator to move in both directions by simply turning the chair.

The Fendt 936 Vario (360 hp) tractor coupled with the single-disc Challenger 9830-40 seeder (working width - 12 m) earned a tidal wave of applauds. The machine combined completely incompatible qualities: the unsurpassed power and tractive force and cost efficiency.

‘Now farmers are not looking for a cheap or expensive machine’, says Vitaly Pikalov, Head of a farming enterprise (Khlevnoye district, Lipetsk oblast). ‘They choose machines that will bring profit to the owner in the short-term and long-term perspective. If we speak of tractors, it is undoubtedly Fendt. We also should not forget about the operator comfort. There are very few experienced operators in the village. We must create ideal working conditions for them so that they would run to work! I wouldn’t mind working on a Fendt myself!’