Sow Multiple Crops With Monoshox

Monosem’s new ‘Monoshox’ coulter damping system enables a wide range of crops to be sown at accurate depth and spacing, while achieving excellent seed to soil contact, when working at much higher drilling speeds than previously achievable.

The system uses an automotive style shock absorber to supplement the metal bushed, parallelogram linkage and twin springs currently used to protect the coulter against shocks, and guarantees accurate drilling depth.

This new design is the result of the company’s 40 years’ experience, allied with feedback from customers around the world, including many in the UK, says Steve Twist, from Toucan Farm Machinery Ltd, Monosem’s UK importer: “Monosem has been developing the NG Plus continually since the 1980s and this is the fifth different version.

“We asked our many drill owners what they wanted from their next machine, and their top request was to be able to plant their wide range of crops at higher speed, without detriment to the planting accuracy they know they can rely on from Monosem. This new design is proven to do that, while also maintaining the consistent spacing and depth of sowing”.

“It ensures totally accurate placement of the seed – both in terms of distribution in the row and sowing depth – so crops emerge quickly and evenly, which simplifies all subsequent crop management, to give the best profitability.

This is achieved by the combination of the springs and the shock absorber, says Steve: “At lower working speeds the springs exert enough force to ensure the coulter maintains an even sowing depth.

“But – as with a car wheel – the shock forces that might move the coulter grow as speed increases. When this happens the shock absorber complements the springs and ensures the coulter stays at the right depth, in the same way that they ensure a tyre maintains maximum contact with the road.

“The planter has already proven its ability to sow a wide range of crops including maize, sugar beet, oilseed rape, beans and cereals in markets across the world, and a growing number of British growers are enquiring about it”, says Steve.

“We have particular interest from arable farmers in the Eastern counties who are looking to plant maize and sugar beet with one machine, and are growing these crops for anaerobic digesters”.

NG plus planters use a front levelling/sweeping blade to clean and level the soil surface directly ahead of the coulter, before the double disc openers cut a seeding slot to the depth set by the neighbouring and independent depth wheels either side of the discs

This slot is V-shaped and finished by the machine’s crucial ‘V-tip’, so that the seed sits at the bottom of the soil groove and is held and in contact on both sides.

Seeds are singulated in an all-metal vacuum metering box by a large diameter, 210mm stainless steel seeding disc. Using a disc of this size and material ensures both effective singulation and a long working life.

Single seeds are positively ejected and drop under gravity down a rearward-angled seed tube. This ensures they are placed in the V-slot by gravity alone, with no excess energy that might cause them to bounce or move. To ensure optimum seed to soil contact, the coulter is followed immediately by the ‘Pro’ stainless steel press wheel.

Two angled ‘V’ rubber press wheels make sure the soil is closed over the seed and guarantee twin contact points over the seed with the soil, giving optimised germination efficiency at speed.

“The pressure and working angle of these wheels is quickly and easily adjusted using individual control knobs, so the planter can maintain optimum performance and accurate planting depth in all different soil types and conditions. This also ensures they run cleanly and always cover the seed with soil then consolidate it.

Monosem offers the widest range of drill frame designs available – from two to 18 rows – with mounted, parallel folding and trailed models available. All drills are custom built to the buyer’s needs, with a full range of optional fertiliser and granule insecticide equipment, seed monitors and current Isobus systems being available.

New Kuhn Front-Mounted Disc Mowers for Faster Solo or Combination Operations

KUHN Farm Machinery has expanded its range of front-mounted disc mowers with the addition of two new machines, both of which can be used either as solo machines or in combination with rear-mounted gear.

The GMD 3125 F (3.10m working width) and GMD 3525 F (3.50m) join KUHN’s existing line-up of 2.80 and 3.10m machines and have been designed for solo operations or for use in combination with rear-mounted mowers or as part of a triple gang setup where working widths can extend to 10 metres.

Both new models are equipped with KUHN’s maintenance-free OPTIDISC cutter bar (7 cutting discs on the 3125, 8 cutting discs on the 3525, two FAST-FIT knives per disc) and use twin PTO-powered swathing drums to produce a well-centred swath, the width of which can be varied between 1.00 and 1.20 metres.

The new machines feature KUHN’s LIFT-CONTROL hydraulic suspension system: this fast-acting, low ground pressure system allows the mower to accurately follow ground contours and safeguards the quality and cleanliness of the forage sward by reducing soil contamination as a result of ground impacts. It also helps to reduce wear and tear on working parts and skids, and keeps fuel consumption to a minimum.

The pendulum style suspension also enables a 30-degree range of cross-plane movement and up to 70cm of vertical travel. The mowing units can also rotate from front to rear in a range of -6.5 and +5 degrees for added ground contouring capability.

All machines in the GMD mower range are protected by KUHN’s PROTECTADRIVE system, which prevents impact damage by allowing the individual disc’s drive shaft to shear. KUHN’s hardwearing FLEXPROTECT side guards are also fitted as standard.

The addition of the GMD 3125 F and GMD 3525 F machines means KUHN now has a range of six front-mounted disc mowers, with models suited to all types of farms and tractors: from upland livestock to lowland dairy farms, and from low to high horsepower tractors.

N130m lost to ghost Cocoa farmers in Cross River

Cross River State Government has lost over N130 million returns in 2016 due to allocation of Cocoa farms to ghost farmers.

The Special Adviser to the State Governor Ben Ayade, on Cocoa Development, Oscar Ofuka disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria.

According to Ofuka “the Governor has directed me to review the allocations with a view to ensuring that the right farmers are given Cocoa farmlands. “But, the implication of this shoddy exercise is that the state has lost over N130 million from the projected revenue from cocoa allocation in 2016”.

He explained that the projected revenue about N200 million, should have been generated from payments for allocation fees by farmers, but only N68 million was realised adding that this was a huge set back to the government’s revenue drive.

Ofuka however stated that his office had mapped out strategy to begin verification of farmers to ascertain genuine allottees in the state three Cocoa Estates.

“We will first undertake physical verification exercise where farmers will be made to stand in front of their farms to receive their cocoa seedlings. “And later, we will carry out biometric capture of the farmers,’’ Ofuka said.

Commending the governor’s quick intervention on the matter, the Special Adviser assured the farmers that the state government’s target of 500,000 metric tons of cocoa annually would be feasible.

He also advised politicians, who were not professional farmers, to allow real cocoa farmers to do their work for the overall benefit of the state.

“We are trying to make cocoa our alternative revenue generating base in view of the dwindling federal allocation,’’ he said.

FG begins construction of Fish market in Illushi, Edo State

The Federal Government has begun construction of a fish market in Illushi community in Edo state.

The State Director, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), Wellington Omoragbon, who disclosed this, informed the News Agency of Nigeria that the fish market located at Illushi in Esan South-East Local Government Area, was to boost the economy of the people, whose major occupation was fishing.

Speaking on the duration of the project, Omoragbon said the market construction which started in December 2016 is expected to be completed within six weeks, adding that the funding of the construction was from the 2016 budget.

“The market will consist of eight open stalls with cold rooms, four toilets, bathrooms and a borehole,’’ he said.

He also noted that Illushi community is located along the bank of the River Niger which serves as a major source of fish for commercial purposes in the community.

2017: Mike Omotosho Annual lecture centres on Agriculture

All is set for this year’s Mike Omotosho Annual lecture that seeks to dig dip into the Agricultural sector, unveiling opportunities available within and proposing solutions for lingering challenges in the Nigerian Agricultural sector towards a sustainable economic growth.

The event which will gather together professional, major players and policy makers to discuss and proffer efficient solutions and alternatives to pressing societal and developmental issues is set to hold by 9:30 am on Saturday 14th January, 2017 at the Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja.

Presiding over the event is the Chairman, Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD) Farms, Afe Babalola, CON, OFR, SAN, with the President, Nigeria Agric Business Group, Sani Dangote as Special Guest of Honour and the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbeh as Chief Host.

Delivering the keynote address is The Ooni of Ife; His Imperial Majesty, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi Ojaja II.

This 2017 lecture will have in attendance critical stakeholders and agricultural development partners such as: International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Bank Of Agriculture (BOA), All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Corporation (NAIC), Bank Of Industry (BOI), Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Nigerian Institute of Animal Science (NIAS), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN – Development Finance Unit), and Women Farmers Network (WOFAN). However attendance is opened to all individuals.

This event is proudly supported by AgroNigeria, Smart Agriculture Solutions, Burley Consulting and Lolytee Nigeria Enterprises. The Mike Omotosho Foundation is an initiative designed to foster a network of youth leaders with global mindset for socio-economic impact.