Milling News
COMPANY UPDATES Farming has a lesson for us all in making us adaptable, innovative and patient by Chris Jackson, Export Manager UK TAG Once again I have had the privilege to visit other countries and see first hand other farming systems This time I have returned again from Indonesia where along with my colleagues at Perendale Publishers Ltd we were represented at the Indo Livestock event in Jakarta along with other UK companies. This event, which showcases some of the best technologies available worldwide to an audience of managers and decision makers, clearly demonstrated the need for innovative and forward thinking companies to continually promote their products on a world stage. A few years ago, the western world was largely the exhibiting innovators now we seem many other countries such as South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand; to name but a few. These nations are clearly aiming to penetrate developing markets, of which Indonesia is a prime example. With a Government determined to increase both agricultural and aqua cultural outputs and still with a huge rurally based population, there are so many ways that elevating production can be achieved at primary production level to the benefit of rural communities. In order to achieve this, training and motivating and incentivising the workforce must be a priority. Achieving these targets is vital to efficient production and demonstrates how simple technical improvements can have an impact when increasing outputs, which is a crucial part of increasing living standards and the well being of rural populations. Improving techniques and increasing profits Often during my visits, whilst I often see well-qualified and highly motivated managers, it seems to me that their messages do not reach the staff working with them. One of my goals is to set up basic training in rural areas given by practical teachers who understand both the local culture and challenges, providing trainees with first hand experience of the industries needs. Once improved techniques have been demonstrated leading to increase profits, then other issues can begin to be addressed. 28 | September 2016 - Milling and Grain
The first of such issues is the need for investment in seed stock, buildings and equipment, without which continued improvements and profitability will not be able to be sustained. So often when you work continually in a system, you cannot see where problems lie and how improvements can be made. During my most recent visit for example, I was taken to some small farms where you could clearly see the need for better livestock food production. All of the raw materials were in place along with pre mix, which although it was arranged according to animal weight, it was mixed by hand so there was no way of assessing the quality of the diet fed to the animals leading to waste at all levels. However, It is too simple to just suggest using mixing equipment as this would take away jobs, or at the very least, a deployment of labour Without properly constructed rations our livestock industry cannot function properly and we need our industry to continually produce more from less if we the farmers are to feed our urban cousins. The reliance on in-feed antibiotics For me it was also interesting to see the reliance on ‘in-feed’ antibiotic use, the significance of which I am sure was not recognised by the staff, but without it, I am sure the underlying disease issues would multiply out of control. Once again some basic training and understanding would be most beneficial leading to better quality of products and profits Then when I arrive back in the UK to find our summer weather not at its best and I see harvesters stood idly by whilst it is raining, we are once again reminded that farming is not a perfect in that to make growth and harvest possible it is totally reliant on the weather and fossil fuels. By the time of my next column I will have made yet another visit to China where we see the extremes of industrialised farming down to subsistence level, where the shear number of people make very interesting and challenging opportunities I hope that we will see some of our readers at VIV China, held in Beijing Agri Link in the Philippines and Vietstock in Ho Chi Minh City. @AgrictecExports
Azelis, a leading global speciality chemicals distributor, announces today that it has agreed to acquire 100 percent of Milan-based Ametech, a leading distributor for a complementary product basket of speciality chemicals for agrochemical and fertiliser formulations, feed and veterinary, polymerisation in emulsion, industrial applications and other markets. With its Italian, French and Spanish operations, Ametech is a market leader in agrochemicals for the distribution of adjuvants and surfactants and employs around 30 employees who will all become part of the Azelis Group.
The Joint Venture between the Danish feed company BioMar and Turkish seafood company Sagun officialy opened a state-of-the-art fish feed factory in Turkey on Thursday 25th August. The BioMar-Sagun fish feed factory based in SĂśke, Turkey opened with a ribbon cutting ceremony attended by more than three hundred guests. The factory has 50,000 tons production capacity and will supply locally produced high performance diets including grower feeds for trout, sea bass and sea bream. BioMarSagun will mainly serve Turkey, but it will also start export sales to some of the neighboring countries.