John Deere specialist Mr. Jean Elloh talks about how successful commercial and emerging farmers can make use of their latest technology to up their game, increasing their yields and profit.
Elloh recently made an appearance on the pilot episode of the television show African Farming, where he talked about the latest technology John Deere has to offer. These technologies not only help farmers to farm more efficiently but also to increase their yields.
The show centred on Clifford Mthimkulu, a successful commercial farmer near Senekal in the Free State, whom the show’s host Angie Khumalo visited in the first episode. She then asked Elloh some challenging questions in the studio on how John Deere can assist farmers such as Mthimkulu in applying new technologies without breaking the bank.
Mthimkulu, a diversified farmer with various crops and livestock, uses some levels of precision farming to use the right amount of fertilizer for the specific type of soil he is planting in, helping him to become more efficient, especially with limited land. Mthimkulu is looking to make his farming operation even more cost effective and save money – should he invest in the latest John Deere technology?
Elloh believes the John Deere AutoTrac system may come in handy. “It is a solution that can fit on any tractor; it doesn’t have to be brand specific. With this system Clifford will be able to use satellite -navigation on his equipment to assist with improving efficiency by reducing overlaps and will see a reduction in fuel cost. Elloh further explained how Mthimkulu could upgrade his existing machinery by looking at John Deere’s Combine Advisor harvesting solution package. John Deere made some interesting improvements to their newest S700 series combine. It will have better automation, data management and residue placement, compared to previous models. Model year 2020 enhancements were announced at the end of May. The Combine Advisor and the HarvestSmart packages will include new automation technologies, such as the use of cameras and sensors to detect changes in crop conditions. This enables the combine to automatically make adjustments to maintain the farmer’s optimal performance parameters. The controls of the Combine Advisor have also been simplified, to make it easier for farmers to control the system, even from a smart phone.
Elloh said John Deere is ready and able to help commercial, as well as emerging farmers. “We have various innovative technologies and solutions that can help any farmer improve his or her operations. Visit your nearest John Deere dealer and talk to one of their consultants to find a workable solution that suits your specific farming needs.”
One of John Deere’s dealers offers a platform called AXL where Clifford can register and rent these advance machines, giving him the benefit of the data and cost saving technology. Not needing to own the equipment farmers have more breathing room in their budget.
To learn more about AXL, visit AXL makes technology available to any farmers
For information: John Deere, 011 437 2600
Website: www.deere.com/sub-saharan/en
