A decision not to waste a single carrot from any of their fields resulted in the popular fresh Rugani carrot juice. Harvested at sunrise and juiced and bottled by sunset, Rugani carrot juice is made from fresh carrots to ensure maximum nutritional benefit.
Not being made from concentrate, the carrot juice is preservative–free and high in beta carotene, with no sugar or water added. Carrots are a powerful source of essential nutrients that may assist in promoting vision and reducing the risk of cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Vincent Sequeira and Vito Rugani from Greenway Farms at Tarlton are even packaging and exporting their unique healthy product.
After much research and a visit to an expert in Italy, the process of extracting Rugani carrot juice was refined. Greenway Farms’ tractors are all Valtra, a global AGCO brand, distributed in South Africa by ValtraC. The tractors take care of all tillage (deep and shallow), planting in cultivated and uncultivated soil, and lifting and transporting crops to the factory.
Vincent Segueira Jnr. has no doubt about the value that ValtraC brings to the farm, as it is all about their legendary service delivery. “From the beginning, the personal service we received from ValtraC’s team made all the difference.”
Since a Valtra T171 was demonstrated at Greenway Farms in 2008, there was no turning back. The demonstration model was promptly acquired. Since then, its ranks have been supplemented with an impressive range of hard-working Valtras – all of them bright red, the colour preferred by Vincent’s father. The Finnish tractor company is the only one that allows a farmer to choose what colour his tractors should be. Even the new S series, typically released in dramatic black, must be Rugani red.
The Valtra tractors at Greenway Farms include the versatile six-cylinder T191, T194, and T234, the S353 and S374, and the four-cylinder N111 and N134. The Valtra tractors are customised with suitable tyres for different tasks. These range from high-traction wide tyres for tillage and heavy-lift mounted implements to narrow high-clearance 54″ tyres for working over the carrot beds.
Greenway Farms comprises three farms, making it the largest carrot grower in Africa, harvesting up to 300 tonnes of carrots every day. The three farms are at Tarlton near Krugersdorp, where the juice extraction plant is located, Christiana in the west, and Naboomspruit in the north. The diverse locations mean production throughout the year.
With the operation running six days a week and often late into the night and tractors clocking up over 2 000 hours a year, planned maintenance is key. By working closely with Greenway Farms and planning work for each farm, ValtraC technicians keep the tractors serviced accordingly, with the correct spare parts on hand to respond to any breakdowns across the different locations.
Vincent reveals that Greenway Farms is decentralising so that each of the three farms can be run as its own business unit. “As a family farm that has grown rapidly, we need to remain operationally nimble. The fact that ValtraC is also a growing family business means we work well together.”
ValtraC understands the farming operation to the extent that it recommended the proper tractors to upgrade or expand and order them to be ready and available when Greenway Farms is ready to procure. “This kind of personal service cannot be beaten,” says Vincent.
In addition, the Finnish tractors, with their AGCO Power engines, are highly versatile and can carry out all the tasks required. The tractors are reliable and built to be used all day, every day. In the rare event of something going wrong or a tractor requires servicing, the ValtraC team is ready. “ValtraC stocks parts so if we need something, it is available immediately,” adds Vincent. It prevents any downtime due to the unavailability of parts.
All the Valtra tractors are four-wheel drive and perform exceptionally well even in muddy conditions, thanks to the excellent weight distribution between the axles. Smooth automatic gear shifting across the entire speed range allows the tractor to operate at the best speed for every task. The standard creeper speed on the Valtra’s maintains the slow pace necessary for the carrot harvesters.
Another significant advantage is fuel saving, with Greenway Farms having documented a substantial reduction in diesel usage on its Valtra tractors compared to other brands used previously. The AGCO Power engines produce high torque at low revolutions. With the Valtra transmission and engine software being developed together in Finland, total synergy is achieved, and drive train losses are minimised.
Vincent says that although they are a specialist farm, operations are planned to be simplistic and repetitive for improved management. It remains challenging to manage 2 500 ha under irrigation in three locations, but the same plan is followed everywhere. Crop rotation is practiced between carrots, wheat, wild radish, and soya beans. The wild radish is incorporated into the soil just before winter for natural fumigation to combat harmful pathogens. With the soya beans’ nitrogen addition, the soil is prepared naturally for the carrots.
Vincent says there are times when they have to cultivate deeply and other times when they plant with a no-till process, and the Valtras are ready for either task. The new tractors, with their comfortable Premium cabin options, are also well suited to the long working days on the farms. The dark cabin lining and leather seats keep the tractor looking and feeling new and clean, even in the red dust that the Tarlton area is known for.
A few years ago, Vito established a mechanisation principle to boost productivity. It involves an ergonomic balance between operator and machine, ultimately leading to better productivity. “Machines do not replace people; they make people more productive,” says Vincent. This is aligned with the Valtra tagline of ‘Work smart. Live more’.
ValtraC was established in 1997 by Wynn Dedwith, a farmer looking for a better way to get his work done. After buying two Valtra-Valmet tractors, he was so impressed with their performance he decided to import and distribute the brand. Since then, ValtraC has grown from a small business to a national company with over 100 employees and six wholly owned branches. The company is also a MERSETA-accredited diesel mechanic training centre and has a fleet of 48 service vehicles and trucks.
Its success is due to its commitment to providing farmers with the best products and services. The company is the sole importer of Valtra tractors in South Africa and also supplies agricultural implements of the highest quality and specifications for South African farmers, from heavy-duty disc harrows to hay tools. Specialist tools include no-till planters, precision spreaders, and dry-bean equipment.
Be productive with Valtra on your farm. Visit www.valtrac.co.za for more information.
