SPECIAL REPORT FARM MACHINERY
Decking out the farm with the right gear Good seasons with high commodity prices combined with global crises and supply chain shocks have had a big impact on farmers’ farm machinery purchase decisions.
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Words DARREN BAGULEY
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May you live in interesting times” is an ancient Chinese curse, and there’s no doubt about it, times are certainly interesting for the Australian farm machinery sector. Farmers are flush with cash due to good seasons and high commodity prices, but supply constraints caused by the ongoing pandemic and global uncertainty are impacting supply chains. Here we cover some businesses with different products on offer, and stories of trends that they’ve seen recently in agriculture. AUSTRALIAN-MADE EQUIPMENT AHEAD ON AVAILABILITY
The Seed Terminator is an Australian invention designed and manufactured in Australia that attaches to harvesters, where it kills off seeds before they become weeds. “Some farmers are feeling let down by the mainstream suppliers and dealers,” says marketing manager Kelly Ingram. “Machinery costs seem to have grown faster than normal, delivery dates are flexible at best, and the ability of the dealer to support the products is the worst it has ever been. One response to these factors is that farmers are locking in purchases earlier than ever due to long lead times on mainline machinery brands.
FORGET THE DRIVER
An autonomous battery-powered electric tractor by John Deere.
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THE FARMER
JULY - AUGUST 2022
