For Moosa Ngwenya and Seunkie Maseko, farming is about more than just growing crops. It is about the broader responsibility of feeding a nation and helping build a country.
“We have a country to feed, and we have a country to build,” says Moosa.
“As farmers, you wake up in the morning, and you don’t only think about the crops, but also about the people you have to feed. It’s all about food security. If we make some profit, we will be looking into replacing some of our older pivots with Agrico pivots,” he adds.
At Elmboog Farm near Komatipoort, Mpumalanga, one of Agrico’s centre pivots is helping make that goal a reality.
Farm manager Seunkie and section leader Moosa, who oversee a dedicated 16-person team, have seen first hand the difference the pivot has made to their sugar cane production.
Komatipoort’s first Agrico pivot
To grow a successful sugar cane crop, you need sun and a lot of water. This makes Komatipoort the ideal area for sugar cane farmers. Elmboog Farm is part of the greater Libuyile Farms, a part of the RCL Foods group. With a maturing sugar cane crop needing between 1 200mm and 1 500mm of water per growing cycle, applying this water correctly is essential.
In early 2024, Elmboog Farm found itself facing a challenge: an older centre pivot had to be replaced. After evaluating suppliers, the team decided to buy an Agrico centre pivot – the first in the area!
This was, according to Moosa, the pivot with the best build quality and cost-effectiveness.
By March 2024, a custom-designed 10-tower Agrico pivot was fully installed and operational across 80ha on the farm. From the initial phone call to full installation, the process took just three weeks.
Increased production under the Agrico pivot
The team says the Agrico centre pivot has already proven its value in the less than two years it has been on the farm.
The specific centre pivot is used on an older sugar cane field. One would expect the field to degrade over time, but with the Agrico centre pivot, it seems this field has some new life.
Over the past two years, average yield across the farm grew from 95t/ha to 120t/ha. On the block managed by the Agrico pivot specifically, production surged from roughly 105t/ha to 125t/ha.
“When you drive around the pivot, you feel happy because you know this pivot is performing miracles. It is doing something that you really did not expect,” says Seunkie.
But the team from Elmboog Farm explains that their satisfaction with Agrico does not stop with the centre pivot. Apart from fast and efficient service, they say they know they can trust the Agrico team to be there when they need them.
Agrico adds benefits
Beyond the convenience and reliability of the app, Seunkie says the physical engineering of the Agrico system has provided unforeseen savings.
He explains that the sprinkler system on the Agrico delivers precise and uniform water distribution, which provides for consistent cane growth across all 80ha.
The well-designed frame of the Agrico also allows the pivot to manoeuvre effortlessly, even in wet field conditions where other centre pivots would snag.
Since the installation of the Agrico centre pivot, the team has experienced no tyre issues, proving the advantages of the pivot’s reduced machine mass.
If you want to see the difference on your farm, visit the Agrico website at agrico.co.za to get in contact with one of Agrico’s experts.
