AGCO is investing heavily in South Africa to establish itself as the preferred supplier for mechanisation and technology. “Working very closely with farmers to provide suitable hi-tech, solutions for mechanisation is a driving purpose of AGCO. We want to see South African farmers succeed in the global market,” says Dr. Dominik Reus, Managing Director, AGCO, Africa ahead of NAMPO Cape at Bredasdorp Park from 14 to 17 September (Stand numbers 7,8, and 9).

The Western Cape Province dominates much of South Africa’s agricultural export production, especially, wheat, wine, and fruit. These export markets are a key driver of sustainable agriculture practices. “Our goal, together with our dealers across the country, is to ensure farmers have the best machines available to them and receive the best service possible,” says Dr. Reus.

“It has been accelerated now with technology in terms of a direct connection between the farmer, dealer, and us. We have aligned with our partners, the dealers in South Africa, to offer a better service and improve our turnaround times so our customers have the best experience and maximise their equipment uptime,” he highlights.

AGCO’s high horsepower (HHP) Massey Ferguson tractor series is designed to deliver improved power, comfort, usability, efficiency, and reliability. The HHP range can handle the most extreme farming tasks without hesitation in South Africa’s harshest conditions. Input costs such as diesel are considered carefully in the design process to maximise fuel usage and environmental awareness in terms of emissions. AGCO also supplies and designs its own AGCO Power engines for higher torque at lower rpm levels.

The advantage of reduced fuel consumption by using technology tools such as MF Guidance, Autopilot, and MF Section control boosts farmers’ profitability. In addition, advanced technologies like MF Connect have made it possible to monitor equipment live in the field to ensure problems are addressed before they become a serious issue, as well as better connecting the dealer’s technical staff to offer improved customer service.

The all-new MF 8S series, with models from 205 hp up to 265 hp, boasts the latest in technology and fuel efficiency, all while keeping the operator comfortable. “Combined with its ergonomics, we know we have a leading product to offer the market,” says Dr. Reus.

Commenting on the importance of the agricultural industry adopting best-in-class technology, Dr. Reus says it is critical on medium to large commercial farms, where input costs need to be monitored carefully to ensure maximum productivity and efficient use of resources. These include input costs such as diesel, herbicides, pesticides, seeds, etc. “We have precision farming technology mainly tailored towards medium to large commercial farms that enables the farmer to observe, measure, and respond timeously to crop variability.”

AGCO continues to play a key role in bringing the best machines to the local market at an affordable cost, together with superlative customer service and support. “AGCO is dedicated to helping farmers thrive. Our high-quality smart solutions and the exceptional experiences we offer our customers start by listening to farmers to deeply understand their needs. Our experienced product teams focus on only bringing in products suitable for the South African environment. This is backed-up by continued professional training for our nationwide dealer network to ensure their teams are equipped with the knowledge and skills to support both the product and the farmers. Furthermore, our dealers can configure, customise, and specify machines for maximum effectiveness,” concludes Dr. Reus.

NAMPO Cape follows the highly successful, first time-ever five-day Grain SA NAMPO Harvest Day held from 16 to 20 May in Bothaville in the Free State. The biggest agricultural show in the Southern Hemisphere returns after a two-year hiatus due to Covid-19.