The added value of gantry tractors to the food processor and retailer
Benefits for the food processor and retailer
It has been known since the sixth century AD that the principal needs for sustainable agriculture are efficient drainage and conservation of moisture. A wide span CTF farming system offers these basic elements as a fundamental part of its operating procedure. As such, it provides a crucial element of reliability and sustainability to the food chain.
Added value is also provided by:
Improved quality and consistency in the raw product. These improvements derive from a more homogeneous soil condition and precision growing methods. The latter will require careful management to ensure that reduced chemical inputs do not compromise disease and pest control.
Reliability of supply. The wide span CTF system should allow crops to be harvested in a wider range of conditions. This is particularly important in terms of leaf vegetable crops, but can also apply to sugar beet, onions, potatoes and other high bulk crops.
Sustainability. There are many areas of the world where food production is threatened through loss in soil quality, insufficient retention of rainfall and direct loss of soil through flooding, run-off and erosion. These problems will be significantly reduced with the wide span CTF system.
Improved product image. Gantry tractor systems introduce a wide range of aspects that can be sold to the consumer in terms of environmentally sound and sustainable crop growing methods without increasing price.