The key prerequisite for successful agricultural production is quality produced and processed seeds. Seed processing includes the process of selection, cleaning, drying and treatment of seeds. This removes impurities, diseases and weaker grains, which increases germination and uniformity of crop emergence.
Quality processed seeds ensure better plant germination, resistance to stressful conditions such as drought or disease and enable optimal use of resources such as fertilizers and water. This ultimately increases the stability of production and the final yield, making seed processing one of the key factors in modern agriculture.
The professional public reacted positively to the information from half a year ago that the company Savacoop bought the existing finishing center in Srbobran. He talks about what was done in the first year and plans for the near future Jovan Borović, head of seed production.
What are the reasons why Savacoop entered into this acquisition?
– There are several reasons for purchasing a machining center. Savacoop in the last few years, it has been constantly increasing the sale of seeds of all agricultural crops, and thus we are increasing our market share. The increase in sales between other seeds and small grain seeds leads to an increase in sown areas, where today we have an increase in sown areas from 1,150 ha to about 1,700 ha, which is an increase of 32%. As a result, the number of producers we work with increases, the amount of seed that needs to be transported during the harvest to processing centers is greater, as well as the number of processing centers where seeds are processed.
In such a situation, it is very difficult to monitor all processes with quality and to have under control all the factors that affect, above all, the quality of processing and the quality of the seeds that are delivered to the market. The quality of the seeds after processing, market requirements regarding quality and competition significantly influenced the speed of the decision from the idea of having our own processing center to the purchase of that center.
Savacoop is not only an exclusive seller since last year Hybrid DKC of corn, but also the authorized producer of DKC corn hybrids. The requirements regarding the quality of DKC hybrid corn processing are such that only having your own processing center guarantees the fulfillment of the necessary standards. In the course of this year, in a very short period of time, we managed to, through equipment overhauls, personnel reinforcements and with constant control of the process, get approval from Bayer-a that we can process and pack DKC corn hybrids that are produced here in Serbia.
This is a significant and great recognition not only for “Savacoop” but also for the seed sector of Serbia, because it proves that we have the knowledge, expertise and skill to apply the highest European and world quality standards in the processing of corn seeds.
The seeds of which crops will be refined?
– In addition to wheat and corn, as dominant crops in production and processing, it is planned to initially process triticale in smaller quantities. Next year, we plan to process a smaller amount of soybean seeds and rye seeds. Depending on the state and needs of the market, we plan to increase the processing of seed soybeans, because both in terms of quality and capacity, we have the ability to process larger quantities of seeds.
What is the capacity and quality of finishing?
For this year, our plan is to process about 7,000 tons of wheat, 1,500 tons of barley and about 200 tons of triticale. The capacities are, of course, larger, and in the coming period we plan to process around 10,000 tons of wheat annually. 2-3,000 tons of barley and triticale and up to 4,000 tons of corn.
What benefit do seed buyers have from this acquisition?
Seed processing should ensure that our producers sow:
- The seeds are uniform in size – weight 1,000 grains. This is very important because modern seed drills only sow such seeds sow the specified amount of seeds per unit area and thus ensure a uniform assembly over the entire area. Sowing seeds of different weights of 1,000 grains leads to poor distribution of seeds on the surface, creates “oases” with different crop densities and thus encourages greater competition between plants, which certainly affects the yield.
- Proper application of fungicides and insecticides for seed protection. The application of fungicides is important from several aspects. In finishing, Savacoop uses top-quality fungicides for seed treatment, which cannot be found over the counter, and thus provides significantly better protection compared to the means often used by the producers themselves. Even application of the agent ensures the elimination of diseases that can be transmitted by seeds to the young plant, as well as defense against the increasing number of insects that are present in the initial stages of plant growth and development.
- We are witnessing that in some regions we have the appearance of the main stem on wheat, which is an indicator that it is necessary to use declared seeds.
- Another no less important fact is the protection of the environment and the health of the producers themselves. All the means used in finishing, if not used correctly, have a negative impact on the environment, from dust in finishing to disposal and destruction of packaging. In addition, seeds that have been processed without control also affect the health of the user, because the excess of contaminated dust, i.e. its inhalation, can endanger and strangle people.
- Packaging and packaging. The seeds are packed in high-quality three-layer paper bags that are easy to manipulate and ensure the preservation of the quality of the seeds, because they do not allow various insects and moisture to enter the seeds. In addition to paper bags of 25 kg, we also pack seeds in bags of 500 kg, which speeds up manipulation and increases the productivity of sowing, reduces the number of workers needed for sowing and creates additional savings for our customers.
At the moment, do you achieve the finishing standards as in the EU?
- The very fact that we have the consent of the company Bayer that we can finish and pack DKC corn hybrids best illustrates the fact that we have achieved a certain level of EU standards. In the coming years, we plan to continue to improve our business and to keep up with all new regulations.
A difficult production year is behind us. Will what is planned be achieved when it comes to seed processing?
- I have to say that this was a very demanding year. The production of seed wheat was a real roller coaster, very uncertain, but in the end we still had very good average yields and excellent seed quality. The biggest challenges were certainly in the production of seed corn, and there we achieved slightly lower yields than expected, but still satisfactory in terms of seed quality, germination and weight of 1,000 grains.
Sponsored post: Savacoop
Source: www.agromedia.rs
