“Agrico delivers a variety of products, but in our heart irrigation is the focus. This is also what we are demonstrating at the show this year,” says Grethe Bestbier, Marketing Manager, at Agrico’s bustling exhibition at NAMPO.
She says it is nice to be back at full speed at NAMPO and witness all the activities, but especially to welcome their visitors.
“To establish ourselves as the best irrigation supplier in Southern Africa, we need to listen to what our customers’ needs are.
“There are two things we have heard repeatedly this year. The first is the farmer’s need for a green and efficient irrigation system, both in terms of water consumption and energy use. The second is how important it is to move close to the farmer, with a branch network that offers the necessary expertise and keeps stock. We are proud to say we offer both: optimal irrigation systems backed by the widest support network in Southern Africa.”
Agrico currently has 38 branches and farmers have access to irrigation experts and system designers under one roof.
As every year, the profile of the Agrico pivot dominates the exhibition, but this crown jewel is just one of the many solutions that Agrico offers.
Agrico has all the components needed to make low-volume irrigation a success.
Johan Visser, irrigation expert, says that in a country where water and nowadays electricity are scarce commodities, the optimal utilisation of resources is Agrico’s main focus.
He says: “We would like to be part of the value chain for the farmer; for its entire production cycle. We can adapt any irrigation system to a farmer’s needs, for the crops he plants and the conditions on his farm. This is the value that our team of experts across the country offers to agriculture.”
Low volume irrigation is in many cases an ideal solution. Agrico displayed examples of this type of irrigation at their exhibition.
Drip irrigation aboveground and even underground can be used for a variety of crops. The solutions use water and nutrients very efficiently. Water use can literally be managed drop by drop and soluble nutrients can be placed precisely at the plants’ root system, where they are needed.
Micro-irrigation is another low-volume solution that is used with great success by orchard farmers in particular. The wide variety of nozzles ensures water placement for any need.
Johan says that for such a system to work efficiently there are certain essential components. Energy saving starts with the pump which can be controlled with variable speed so as not to pump more water than necessary.
A filtration system removes impurities from the water and prevents nozzles and emitters from clogging. Valves control the water flow and pressure, and can be adjusted over a distance based on the readings of a flow and pressure meter. Then there are also air valves that let air out of the system, and different sizes of pipes that connect the system together – with diameters specified by the designers.
Agrico’s experts were ready to tell visitors at NAMPO what they can expect when they visit one of the company’s 38 branches in Southern Africa: Junior Labuschagne, Roland Andrag, Jurie Hayes, Walter Andrag, Johan Visser, Grethe Bestbier, Christo Hepburn, Guiliam Oberholster, and Johan Myburgh.
Only the best quality products from reliable suppliers are imported or purchased locally. Agrico also has three factories where many of the components are manufactured.
Johan Myburgh, Chief Mechanical Engineer of Agrico, says: “We as Agrico understand farmers’ challenges and needs. That is why we have a wide branch network that can deliver any product you may need for your irrigation system, right then and there.
“Our experts at our branches can help you with any product – pipes, filters, valves, connectors, pumps, nozzles, and more – whatever you need, when you need it. We aim to have stock near you. No dry, thirsty plants on our watch!”
For your optimal irrigation system, talk to Agrico. On their website, www.agrico.co.za, you can see the contact details of your nearest branch and read more about all their solutions.
