Farmet speed tillers now available here in WA

Farmet is a respected Czech Republic manufacturer that has produced agricultural machinery for the past 30 years, exporting equipment throughout Europe.

Previously it was represented in Australia by a sole agent in the New South Wales' Riverina which sold machines through some east coast machinery dealers and one dealer in WA.

Now, after careful assessment, Farmet has appointed De Rosa's Highway Motors, Waroona, a family company started by farmer brothers Nick and Tony De Rosa and their respective wives, Barbara and Maria, that has been selling leading-brand agricultural machinery since 1968, as its WA agent for south of the Great Eastern Highway.

Great Western Machinery, another family-run business, which sells new and used farm machinery and hires out equipment in Geraldton, owned by farmer and contractor for more than 20 years John Davies, has been appointed Farmet agent for north of the Great Eastern Highway.

In consultation with its two new local agents, Farmet has chosen its innovative Softer speed tiller range to test the WA market.

The Softer range offers cultivation and seed bed preparation widths up to 12 metres, with two rows of notched discs and choice of single or twin-row rollers to cut and incorporate crop residues.

De Rosa's Highway Motors took delivery of its first four Farmet Softers last week - a 3m unit, a 3.5m unit and two 6m units, with both single and twin rollers.

"Farmet did due diligence and looked at quite a few dealers in WA before selecting ourselves and Great Western Machinery," said Gavin Dunstan, De Rosa's salesman.

"We were selected because we've specialised in speed tillers for quite a long while now, it's not a new product range for us.

"We (he and Mr Davies) flew over to have a look at (Softers) being manufactured at a state-of-the-art plant in the Czech Republic and we were extremely impressed with the manufacturing process.

"Farmet pretty much manufactures everything themselves, apart from bearings, lights and tyres.

"They have their own foundry and press their own discs.

"We also spoke to clients and customers who have used Farmet tillage equipment.

"We've imported a brand that we have confidence in ourselves.

"Farmet is a very successful business that is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year and of course, while speed tillers are what we have imported first, they also manufacture a product range that has multiple tillage items and also seeders.

"Their seeders are probably the next step for us, once we've established the brand here with the Softer."

Because De Rosa's and Great Western Machinery are the direct Farmet importers, the machines offered very good value for money for farmers, Mr Dunstan pointed out.

"We as dealers are passing on the discount that would normally be absorbed by the importer," he said.

"It is a great product at a price that is great value for all farmers, not just some.

"With increasing input costs and commodity prices that seem to have levelled, as a business we need to offer our customers machines that are affordable, reliable and represent very good value - that's what our customers are looking for most now, they are looking for good value - and we think the Farmet Softer ticks all those boxes."

Compared to other European speed tillers, the Farmet Softer is heavier, much like locally-built tillage equipment, he said, with the one disc per shank design using proven SKF agri hubs to minimise maintenance.

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The Softers imported into WA have the larger 56 centimetre (22 inch) notched discs offering cultivation and incorporation to a depth of 15cm with aggressive disc geometry and a simple shim height adjustment.

Disc shanks are rubber mounted with a 250 kilogram release force providing stone protection.

"One of the questions we often get asked when it comes to European machines is 'but how will it handle my stoney soil?' but with the Softer there is no problem," Mr Dunstan said.

He said in Europe twin rollers seemed to be preferred to process crop residue once it had been cut up by the twin rows of discs, but in WA speed tillers were traditionally sold with one roller.

"We've ordered both (single and twin rollers - there are eight different types of roller available) in to see what the comparative benefits are," Mr Dunstan said.

"We know now from the rainfall we've received there is going to be a bulk amount of crop residue we are going to have to deal with for seeding next season.

"Buying a new speed tiller to handle that residue is going to be a lot cheaper option than buying a new air seeder to deal with the residue."

Another local option is a seed box system that can be fitted to the Softer to turn it into "a one-pass seed bed preparation and seeding operation" that will save tractor hours, fuel and operator time, Mr Dunstan said.

He said De Rosa's had trialled the seed box system on another speed tiller earlier this year for a valued customer who bought the complete unit after the first demonstration because he was so impressed.

Part of De Rosa's first Farmet shipment also included a substantial parts order so it has spare parts already in stock.

"We're all about back up, you don't exist in business for 54 years without backing your products up," Mr Dunstan said.

"We've got stock now, but we need to engage with as many customers and clients as possible to find out what their requirements are for orders for seeding for next year," he said.

"So if anyone is thinking about purchasing a speed tiller and would like a quote on a Farmet machine, we'd like to hear from them right now."

Great Western Machinery is also importing the Farmet Diskomat, a larger, heavier, higher clearance machine designed to incorporate taller plant residues in seed bed preparation.