Invest in your growth with Valley Irrigation

by Jaco Cilliers

Acentre pivot can outlive a farmer if it is built using superior quality material, has a robust design, is well maintained and is reliable. These are all qualities that farmers have become accustomed to from Valley Irrigation. Valley pivots enable the farmer to ensure that his crops will be successful year after year. Hannes Schutte from Sudami 13CC Farm outside Groblersdal in South Africa acquired his first pivot in 1998. Since then he has installed a pivot every second year, and today he is the proud owner of 11 pivots. “The pivots pay themselves in about two to four years depending on the crops planted and the size of the pivot,” explains Hannes. Valley enables the farmer to ensure success with his cash crops by eliminating the risk of drought. It is not a cheap investment, but it is an inevitable one for any farmer who wishes to expand his cash crop business. 22 years later, the first pivot that Hannes bought still operates on the farm. “Valley provides a good quality product, but the secret lies in taking care of your investment,” says Hannes. “Farmers like to apply fertiliser and other chemicals through their pivots. With Valley’s galvanised iron pipes, this is not a problem. But it is still better to flush the system with clean water after chemicals were applied. This is how I have treated my pivots, and why they still look and work like new pivots even after 22 years,” Hannes explains. There are certain parts of the pivot that have to be checked regularly, for example the sprayer heads and nozzles. Wheels and tyres also have to

Hannes's Valley pivot irrigates 90 hectares and has worked season after season without failing once for the past 22 years. Valley Irrigation uses high quality galvanised iron and a sturdy structural design to ensure longevity in their pivots.

The various types of control systems that Hannes uses to keep track of the operations of his pivots are all very user friendly. “Even the oldest pivot was installed with a system that I could pre-programme for two weeks in advance. This was leading edge technology at the time,” says Hannes. Francois Griesel explains how Valley Irrigation has kept the leading technological edge in the irrigation market over the years. The Valley 365™ conditions, and to control and monitor his pivots accordingly from wherever quality galvanised iron, along with a

Jannes van Niekerk and Jimmy Ludwig (Loskop Valley Besproeiing), Hannes Schutte (owner Sudami 13 cc Farm), and Cobus Vermaak and Francois Griesel from Valley Irrigation South Africa with a pivot that was erected in 1998.

be checked often. “If a tyre goes flat without noticing it in time, you will lose the whole wheel as well,” explains Hannes. Apart from the regular checks, he services the gearboxes and driveshafts before the beginning of every season. This ensures that Hannes will not have to worry about breakages and unproductive time.

Valleyfication of ordinary pivot

Hannes’s 11 Valley pivots range from 1,7 hectares to 90 hectares in size. “On one farm, we inherited another type of pivot, but over the years I have replaced parts of this pivot with Valley parts,” says Hannes. Jimmy Ludwig from Loskop Valley Besproeiing in Groblersdal has worked closely with Hannes to develop the infrastructure on his farm. Over the years, both Jimmy and Loskop Valley Besproeiing played a pivotal part in the success of the Sudami farm. “Valley builds lasting relationships with their growers by ensuring that the after sales service matches the longevity of platform that was announced during NAMPO Virtual 2020, is an electronic platform that the farmer can load onto his phone, tablet, or laptop computer. "The platform gives him access to all the various pieces of equipment that he can use to peruse soil and weather he may find himself at the moment. This enables him to exercise full control over the irrigation on his farm,” Francois says. Apart from the user-friendly management systems that keep Valley Irrigation on the leading edge of irrigation technology, the company also builds strong, robust structures that withstood many storms. Their superior

the pivots,” says Jimmy. durable structural design, puts Valley Irrigation in a class of their own. “Since I have installed the first pivot on this farm in 1998, not one pivot has fallen over, and we have had some serious storms during this time,” says Hannes.

Valley’s dealer network stretches all over Southern and Eastern Africa with more than 80 service points for technical services. For more information on Valley’s irrigation systems, as well as the 365™ options, contact Francois Griesel at Francois.Griesel@Valmont.com, or +27(0)67-412-9089.