In the Vitebsk region, active work is underway to prepare agricultural machinery for the new season
Starting November 1, agricultural organizations have launched another season of preparing machinery for spring field work. Plans in each region were finalized before the countdown began. There is a lot to be done, especially in the northern region of the country, whose mechanized force has become quite powerful in recent years. This includes almost 6.3 thousand tractors, including 1172 high-power ones, 1.3 thousand grain harvesters, and 510 forage harvesters, as well as other machinery essential for farmers, as explained by Mikhail Pridibaylo, Deputy Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee's Committee for Agriculture and Food:
— Over the past five years, 3313 units of various machinery have been acquired. At the same time, over ten years, an average of 3.3 percent of tractors, 7.8 percent of grain harvesters, and 5.7 percent of forage harvesters have been updated (with a norm for annual renewal of 8-10 percent). The pace of equipping and renewal lags behind the pace of natural retirement of machinery. It should also be taken into account that about 700 high-power tractors were purchased in 2009-2010, and their service life is approaching ten years. Naturally, they have worn out and require expensive repairs. The situation is compensated by the higher productivity of the new machinery being acquired.
With the completion of another agricultural season, the work of engineering services comes to the forefront. The results of their labor will now directly determine future achievements. First, all attention is focused on the machinery involved in spring field work. According to the plan, it must be ready by March, forage harvesting machinery by April 1, grain harvesting machinery and drying complexes by June 1.
Tractor readiness in the region is 87 percent. More than 800 machines of various models require repair, including 167 combined soil-cultivating and seeding units, 86 grain seeders, 188 solid mineral fertilizer spreaders, and over 140 machines for applying solid organic fertilizers.
Repairs are carried out at three levels: on farms, at production and technical service enterprises, at repair plants and industrial enterprises. For this purpose, the necessary repair and maintenance base is in operation, which includes workshops
Taking into account the available resources of the region's farms, 140 machines will be restored during the off-season: 100 tractors, 30 forage harvesters, and 10 grain harvesters at specialized sites. Some of them are being worked on by specialists from Zapadno-Dvinny Mezhrayagrotehservis. This enterprise is highly regarded by the heads of agricultural organizations who want to use the repaired machines for a long time. A prime example of this is the KVK-8060 combine harvester, updated for the past forage harvesting period for the "Ivansky-Agro" farm in the Chashniki district. The machine worked the entire season without a single failure, and the results shown by the machine operator were very commendable. Since March of last year, employees of the enterprise's engineering and technical service have carried out 26 major repairs, 134 on-site repair operations, and about 100 technical maintenance operations, says **Sergey Yukhnovets, Director of Zapadno-Dvinny MRS**:
— The reputation has been earned through meticulous work. Firstly, each incoming machine is assigned to a specific team, which then also handles the annual warranty technical maintenance. Secondly, it is repaired down to the last screw – disassembled almost to the foundation: the main technological tract, electrical wiring, and engine are overhauled. It is updated by almost 90 percent.
The team is currently working on about four dozen high-power machinery units – MTZ tractors and forage harvesters, but the enterprise is capable of taking on more, notes the head:
— The personnel potential and experience allow us to gradually increase the volume of restored equipment. Moreover, we pay close attention to improving the qualifications of our employees. Every year, they confirm their qualifications at the training centers of MTZ and Gomselmash, undergo additional training there, and then specifically travel to the districts to share their experience with machine operators. Employees of the supply and sales department undergo similar training.
Machines get a second life after repairs at OJSC "Tiraspol Agrotechservice". The enterprise is developing in two directions. The first is the repair and maintenance of various agricultural machinery. It should be noted that local craftsmen specialize in updating feed dispensers (since last year, they have been equipped with weighing devices that allow precise determination of the required volume of animal feed components) and mowers. The second is the development of its own production of agricultural machinery, notes the director of the enterprise, Sergey Semenov:
— Specifically for operation in conjunction with high-power tractors, we have mastered the production of a wide-cut harrow using Canadian technology, which significantly saves fuel resources, reduces sowing time, and also improves sowing quality.
Elements of precision farming are embodied in another development of Tiraspol Agrotechservice – the RDU-1.7-D machine with differentiated mineral fertilizer application. The field's agrochemical map is loaded into its onboard computer, and the supply of mineral fertilizers is automatically adjusted depending on the soil composition. Their saving reaches 30 percent, which is significant for the finances of any agricultural organization. The principle of eco-product production is also being implemented.
— Over the past five years, 3313 units of various machinery have been acquired. At the same time, over ten years, an average of 3.3 percent of tractors, 7.8 percent of grain harvesters, and 5.7 percent of forage harvesters have been updated (with a norm for annual renewal of 8-10 percent). The pace of equipping and renewal lags behind the pace of natural retirement of machinery. It should also be taken into account that about 700 high-power tractors were purchased in 2009-2010, and their service life is approaching ten years. Naturally, they have worn out and require expensive repairs. The situation is compensated by the higher productivity of the new machinery being acquired.
With the completion of another agricultural season, the work of engineering services comes to the forefront. The results of their labor will now directly determine future achievements. First, all attention is focused on the machinery involved in spring field work. According to the plan, it must be ready by March, forage harvesting machinery by April 1, grain harvesting machinery and drying complexes by June 1.
Tractor readiness in the region is 87 percent. More than 800 machines of various models require repair, including 167 combined soil-cultivating and seeding units, 86 grain seeders, 188 solid mineral fertilizer spreaders, and over 140 machines for applying solid organic fertilizers.
Repairs are carried out at three levels: on farms, at production and technical service enterprises, at repair plants and industrial enterprises. For this purpose, the necessary repair and maintenance base is in operation, which includes workshops
and agricultural enterprises and organizations servicing agriculture in the district, repair plants, and the distribution network.
Special attention is paid to the system of agrotechnical and agrochemical servicing of agriculture. It includes 17 agro-services, as well as OJSCs: "Vitebsk Oblagroservis", "Zapadno-Dzvinsky MRS", "Vitebsk Motor Repair Plant", "Tiraspol Agrotechservis", and "Tiraspol PMK". Along with the district executive committees, Vitebsk Oblagroservis organizes and coordinates their work. At the same time, all district agro-services are distributed by raw material zones of agro-industrial associations.
This approach to equipment repair allows us to focus primarily on our own capabilities, emphasizes Mikhail Pridibaylo:
— The repair of equipment in the region requires 49.6 million rubles, of which 18.3 million is for tractors; about 9.7 million for grain harvesting equipment; and 10 million rubles for forage harvesting equipment. Funding sources are traditional: own funds, local and republican budgets, and bank loans. At the same time, enterprises have sufficient technical and organizational capabilities for equipment repair worth 19 million rubles, which allows them to cover almost half of the financial plan. And this is about restoring not only tractors and forage harvesters, but also various soil-cultivating equipment.
Taking into account the available resources of the region's farms, 140 machines will be restored during the off-season: 100 tractors, 30 forage harvesters, and 10 grain harvesters at specialized sites. Some of them are being worked on by specialists from Zapadno-Dvinny Mezhrayagrotehservis. This enterprise is highly regarded by the heads of agricultural organizations who want to use the repaired machines for a long time. A prime example of this is the KVK-8060 combine harvester, updated for the past forage harvesting period for the "Ivansky-Agro" farm in the Chashniki district. The machine worked the entire season without a single failure, and the results shown by the machine operator were very commendable. Since March of last year, employees of the enterprise's engineering and technical service have carried out 26 major repairs, 134 on-site repair operations, and about 100 technical maintenance operations, says **Sergey Yukhnovets, Director of Zapadno-Dvinny MRS**:
— The reputation has been earned through meticulous work. Firstly, each incoming machine is assigned to a specific team, which then also handles the annual warranty technical maintenance. Secondly, it is repaired down to the last screw – disassembled almost to the foundation: the main technological tract, electrical wiring, and engine are overhauled. It is updated by almost 90 percent.
The team is currently working on about four dozen high-power machinery units – MTZ tractors and forage harvesters, but the enterprise is capable of taking on more, notes the head:
— The personnel potential and experience allow us to gradually increase the volume of restored equipment. Moreover, we pay close attention to improving the qualifications of our employees. Every year, they confirm their qualifications at the training centers of MTZ and Gomselmash, undergo additional training there, and then specifically travel to the districts to share their experience with machine operators. Employees of the supply and sales department undergo similar training.
Machines get a second life after repairs at OJSC "Tiraspol Agrotechservice". The enterprise is developing in two directions. The first is the repair and maintenance of various agricultural machinery. It should be noted that local craftsmen specialize in updating feed dispensers (since last year, they have been equipped with weighing devices that allow precise determination of the required volume of animal feed components) and mowers. The second is the development of its own production of agricultural machinery, notes the director of the enterprise, Sergey Semenov:
— Specifically for operation in conjunction with high-power tractors, we have mastered the production of a wide-cut harrow using Canadian technology, which significantly saves fuel resources, reduces sowing time, and also improves sowing quality.
Elements of precision farming are embodied in another development of Tiraspol Agrotechservice – the RDU-1.7-D machine with differentiated mineral fertilizer application. The field's agrochemical map is loaded into its onboard computer, and the supply of mineral fertilizers is automatically adjusted depending on the soil composition. Their saving reaches 30 percent, which is significant for the finances of any agricultural organization. The principle of eco-product production is also being implemented.