Capital Equipment News November 2016

AGRICULTURE

BETTER TRACTION IN VINEYARDS WITH BKT TYRES I ndian tyre manufacturer BKT has launched a new tyre range specifical- ly designed to respond to the complex needs of the terrains in vineyards and or- chards. Limited soil compaction, high load capacity and enhanced traction are the peculiar traits of these products, which do not only provide high performance, but also allow time, fuel and money savings. BKT row crop tyres are suitable for di- verse applications and manifold types of machinery. They are available in numerous sizes. They can be divided into products for tractors, sprayers and grape harvesters, into products for field and road transport, soil till- age, spraying and grape harvesting.

agriculture, and is currently available in the four sizes: VF 380/85 R 38, VF 380/90 R 46, VF 380/105 R 50 and 420/95 R 50. Meanwhile, Agrimax RT 955 is the ideal BKT radial tyre for heavy machinery and row crop applications, vineyard harvesting, and in some sizes for spraying applications. Benefits for this tyre include optimal stability, excellent traction and best self-cleaning properties, as well as the continuous contact with the soil. The rounded shoulder has been specifically conceived to preserve the soil and the delicate crops from possible damages. Similar features offers the Agrimax RT 945 pattern, available in seven different sizes. The tyre has been specially developed with a narrow tyre tread to protect vineyards and plant roots. Its self-cleaning properties make it ideal for road transfers, too. Agrimax RT 855 and Agrimax RT 765 are said to be perfect for grape harvesting and row crop spraying, and for combined road and field transport alike. Therefore, they enable frequent transfers, which are typical for these kinds of applications. The first is a will greatly reduce post-harvest losses in Malawi and help in improving national development,” says Dr George Partridge, CEO of NBM. “According to the African Post Harvest Losses Information System of the Monitoring Agriculture Resources, Malawi loses over 23% of its maize crop due to post harvest loss due to a variety of reasons, chief among them, is the absence of quality grain storage facilities. This facility will go a long way to reduce these post-harvest losses. Through this facility National Bank of Malawi wants to positively contribute to the National Development by increasing smallholder farmers’ access to quality grain storage facilities. This will be achieved by making available 30% of the space in each and every agristorage facility to smallholder farmers participating in the Warehouse Receipts System offered by the Agriculture Commodity Exchange.” The initiative will aim to support agri-stor- age projects with high developmental im- pact. These projects will consist of new stor- age capacity for agricultural commodities, which will be certified under a warehouse receipt system (WRS) and made available to third parties. This approach is intended to stimulate a wider inclusion of farmers in the national WRS, under which farmers can use

radial tyre that combines high load capacity and sound flotation performance. It is avail- able in as many as 44 different sizes.

Among the product lines for vineyards and orchards, BKT’s top-of-the range product is Agrimax Spargo. This tyre line has been de- veloped with VF Technology, thanks to which it is able to carry heavy loads at a lower tyre pressure, thus limiting the negative effects of soil compaction. The tyre can be used both in the fields and during road transfers. Agrimax Spargo stands for a more effec- tive, more versatile and more sustainable

The Agrimax RT 657 tyre is ideal for both soil tillage and road transport.

EU BANK SUPPORTS MALAWIAN AGRICULTURAL SECTOR

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has announced a new EUR 30 million facility for the financing of private sector projects in Malawi with the National Bank of Malawi (NBM). The initiative, developed together with USAID and ACE, will enhance the access to finance for private sector companies and will primarily target the development of agricultural storage capacity in the coun- try. As such, it will contribute to key de- velopmental priorities of Malawi, includ- ing private sector development, increased food security and reduction of poverty. Another main priority is support for higher resilience towards climate change by miti- gating food supply volatility due to adverse weather events. “The lack of agricultural storage facilities has been an issue for the development of the agriculture sector in Malawi,” says Robert Schofield, head of EIB’s Global Partners’ Financial Sector Division. “The EIB facility aims to address this issue to the benefit of the farmers as well as the Malawian authorities by improving market transparency and providing information for a more efficient agriculture policy.” “This facility will bring in EUR 30 million worth of new agro storage assets which

warehouse receipts as collateral to enhance access to financing. The inclusion of new storage capacity in a WRS will also improve market transparency and provide information for a more efficient agriculture policy aimed at managing and improving food security. b

“The EIB facility aims to address this issue to the benefit of the farmers as well as the Malawian authorities by improving market transparency and providing information

for a more efficient agriculture policy.”

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