Pivot irrigation:
Superior design, structure and quality makes Valley the obvious choice by Jaco Cilliers
T
he best way of protecting your farm against the risk of drought is investment in irrigation technology. A centre pivot irrigation system from Valley Irrigation will allow you to guarantee your harvests year after year without fail. It will also enable you to plant both winter and summer crops and have two harvest seasons every year, doubling your annual income. Frik Vreken from Vreken Boerdery near Dundee chose to partner with Valley Irrigation twenty years ago when he bought a second-hand Valley pivot. This particular pivot, now 37 years old, still works and looks as good as ever after generating an income that allowed Frik to acquire no less than 20 additional Valley pivots over the years. “If you look at the bow and truss rods, they are still in perfect condition after 37 years,” he points out. Frik is not only a farmer, but he is also an irrigation expert with more than 25 years of experience. “After I concluded my studies in 1990, I worked for the Department of Agriculture in Silverton where I conducted research on irrigation systems in use on South African farms. Valley was simply a cut above the rest due to their superior design, structure and quality,” says
Frik Vreken farms near Dundee and is an irrigation expert with more than 25 years of experience. Frik. One of the things he likes about Valley is that they manufacture their own gearboxes specifically designed for pivot application, and carrying a fiveyear guarantee. Frik is in the process of replacing all his older pivot management systems with the new Valley Icon 5 management system. “The Icon 5 enables me to control all my pivots remotely with my cell phone, no matter where I am in the world. This especially helps me when I need to restart the pivots after load shedding.” The Icon 5 is user friendly and saves a lot of time by allowing the farmer to control pivots remotely. There is no need to travel to every pivot on the farm to start or program them. All the pivot functions are accessed through the app on your smart phone. Apart from excellent quality and design, Valley also back their products with excellent service. Frik’s local Valley agency, Spilkon Besproeiing, stocks all the important spare parts that you may need to service and restore
The Valley Icon 5 management system allows Frik to control his centre pivots from anywhere in the world using his smart phone. Frik is systematically replacing all the older management boxes with the Icon 5 version. ProAgri Botswana / Namibia / Zimbabwe 15
your pivot. “If the farmer cannot fix the problem himself, there are three trained Valley technicians ready and eager assist you,” Frik says. Valley agents are not just sales representatives. Pivots are expensive equipment. Therefore, Frik follows a strict maintenance plan to protect his investment. His pivots are serviced after every harvest. All the sprinklers are checked regularly and replaced every ten thousand hours along with the pressure regulators. “Pivots are not cheap, but they increase the value of your property, and gives the farmer peace of mind. It also enables you to produce crops all year round,” Frik explains. Frik’s advice to farmers planning to invest in a centre pivot irrigation system is: • Buy the best structure available. • Do not try to save on the pivot and underground pipes; buy the largest diameter you can afford. • Buying cheap, substandard pivots might save money on the initial cost, but you will pay more for electricity and maintenance for the next 40 years.
Valley agents build lasting partnerships with the farmers, providing them with superior quality products, excellent service, and technical expertise, for they understand the need for uninterrupted irrigation. For more information, contact Spilkon Besproeiing on +27(0)83-284-1025, or send an e-mail to besproei@trustnet. co.za, or visit the website www. spilkon.co.za. To find a Valley dealership near you, visit www. valleyirrigation.com.
21
