WITH seeding on the radar for many, there is varied demand for equipment from some of the machinery dealers Farm Weekly has spoken to in recent weeks.
"We've put out some new Fendt Rogator self-propelled sprayers and a few Fendt front wheel assist tractors," said Agwest Machinery Corrigin dealer principal Dave Dutton.
He said sales were quieter in comparison to the past couple of years.
Agwest Machinery Katanning branch manager David Hinchcliffe said the BOSS Agriculture seeding bars, in both 40 and 60 foot configurations, were now back in stock.
"It's brilliant because you can sow at a faster speed, do more in a day and do more accurate planting, which leads to a better yield," Mr Hinchcliffe said.
There have been a few BOSS Agriculture seeding bar demonstrations, with the bigger bar featured in Esperance and the smaller one on show in Corrigin, next Tuesday, April 2.
CLAAS Harvest Centre, Katanning, branch manager Travis Menghini said spreaders were being sold at a steady rate, as well as a few telehandlers and four-wheel drive tractors.
"There's a new four-wheel drive tractor coming in that will be announced around July or August," Mr Menghini said.
"That'll be quite an exciting product for us - the Xerion 12 series.
"In Dumbleyung, Farmers Centre branch manager John Murray also reported that while orders had not been coming in like the past couple of years, they were still ticking over at a steady rate.
"It's probably been three quarters of what it has been in the past couple of years," Mr Murray said.
"Right now I'm quoting a lot of JCB telehandlers.
"For me, that's the most in demand item and we'll also have plenty of combines coming in soon."
In Albany, Farmers Centre branch manager Seam McLeod said new Case sprayers and tractors had just been delivered and they were in the process of getting them ready to go.
Agwest Machinery group general manager Martin Crawford said their hot products at the moment are the Fendt 1100 and Fendt 900 high horsepower tractor machines.
"There's been strong interest in TTQ Deep Rippers, which are some of the heaviest, biggest deep rippers you can get," Mr Crawford said.
"We've just completed the Fendt Rogator demonstration road show, which was 12 demonstrations across the State, around Geraldton, Northam, Corrigin, Esperance."
Mr Crawford said they were also preparing seeding demonstration programs, which will kick off next week and go for about eight weeks.
"We're trying to prepare for about 20 seeding demos over the course of those eight weeks," he said.
Agwest Machinery has also had strong interest in Kelly chains.
"It's a mechanical weed destructor, like a disc that you drag across the ground," Mr Crawford said.
"Rather than using chemicals, you go in with the Kelly chain and break up the ground - it helps put nutrients back into the soil."
Mr Crawford said their Northam branch was gearing up for a busy round of sales of Krone Big Pack balers in August.
"Those guys in the department there are busy preparing those machines - they won't be going until August but they're busy ordering parts, doing repair work," he said.
In other news, Farm Machinery & Industry Association of WA (FM&IA) executive officer Ken Brown said his organisation was preparing for its annual conference, to be held at Mandoon Estate in the Swan Valley on August 2.
"Every year we present a state-of-the-industry talk on the sales of different machinery throughout Australia, with a focus on WA as well," Mr Brown said.
"It covers how sales have been over the past 12 months, which areas, sizes of the tractors, and things like that."
Mr Brown said FM&IA was currently working out who would be presenting, including speakers who work outside of the agriculture industry.
"It might be somebody talking about technology, who might not come from the ag industry, but is relevant," he said.
"In the past we've had people talking about succession planning, and we're looking at anything that can provide some sort of benefit to our members."
Mr Brown said one of the important things FM&IA had found was the ample opportunities for members to network with other dealers.
"They're probably in contact with a lot of them anyway, but there are some industries that might be beyond their peripheral," he said.
