The French company Novag SAS, a specialist in no-till technology, will be exhibiting for the first time at agraria, Austria’s leading trade fair for agriculture and forestry. agraria 2022 will take place in Wels from November 23 to 26. Novag will be exhibiting in the arable farming and grassland section, which takes up most of the exhibition space. Among other things, the focus there will be on alternative soil management concepts and modern grassland management – topics in which Novag is at home with its no-till technology.
Conservation agriculture protects against drought and soil erosion
“In Austrian agriculture, there is a growing awareness of the importance of soil health and organic material cycles. At the same time, we are seeing increasing interest in the conservation agriculture system, which is at the heart of our corporate philosophy and our sowing technology,” says Ramzi Frikha, CEO and Export Manager at Novag.
Conservation agriculture (CA) is based on three main principles (FAO definition): minimal mechanical tillage of the soil within defined limits, organic mulch cover of at least 30% immediately after sowing and a diversity of crops that includes at least three species in the crop rotation.
Avoiding any tillage and working with varied crop rotations and dense layers of mulch protects the soil from drying out. In addition, arable land in erosion-prone areas such as slopes can be protected from water and wind erosion. “However, this only works with no-till and with technology that can cope with these extremely high requirements. Our no-till technology has been developed precisely for such tough applications,” emphasizes Ramzi Frikha.
Market entry in Austria
Participation in agraria 2022 is a strategic step for Novag as part of its market entry in Austria. In spring 2023, Novag will deliver the first machine, a Novag T-ForcePlus 350 with a working width of 3 m, to Lower Austria.
“As part of our 2022 demo tour, we also gave demonstrations to more than 20 Austrian farmers this year and received very positive feedback from them,” reports Lucas Zickermann. He is Sales and Product Manager at Novag GmbH, the first Novag branch, which was recently established in Hanover, Germany. From there, his team coordinates marketing, sales and customer service for the Austrian and European market and ensures the supply of spare parts.
“With our presence at the trade fair, we want to expand our presence in Austria and get in touch with more potential customers and new partners for sales and service. We offer them a future-oriented package of arable know-how development for the CA system and the best no-till technology,” says Ramzi Frikha.
Novag T-SlotPlus system
The Novag T-SlotPlus functional principle is unique. It ensures particularly good seed placement in the soil without significantly disturbing it. At its heart is the specially shaped openers. Instead of a V or U shape, it cuts an inverted T into the soil. A serrated disc in front cuts growth or stubble and opens up the soil. Behind it are two separate openers that clear a seed groove. They each have an outlet through which either seed or fertilizer can be placed at the optimum distance from each other.
Thanks to the high coulter pressure of up to 500 kg per opener, the T-SlotPlus system guarantees optimum placement even in difficult no-till conditions with heavy biomass growth. In combination with trailing angled Press wheels and the IntelliForcePlus automatic coulter pressure control, the T-shape of the openers also guarantees a well-sealed seed slot. This means that the seed always has optimum soil contact, even in dry conditions, and is also better protected against slugs and birds.
Row spacings of 16.67 cm, 18.75 cm and 25 cm are available ex works, making the Novag also suitable for farms with hoeing and harrowing technology. The sowing depth can be individually adjusted from 1 cm to 8 cm. For the simultaneous metering of several seeds or fertilizers, all Novag no-till machines can be equipped with up to 4 hoppers.
Reduce machine and labor costs
With its product range from 1.5 to currently 9 m, Novag sees potential in the in-house mechanization of smaller farms as well as in large-scale inter-farm use by machinery rings and contractors. “From spring 2023, we will be offering farmers the Novag T-ForcePlus 250, an additional, particularly compact and lightweight series with a low center of gravity and innovative ballasting system. In order to meet the increasing demand in the large machine segment, the portfolio will be expanded in future with the Novag T-ForcePlus 950X with a working width of 10 m. The target group is large-scale farms in international markets, particularly in Eastern Europe, Oceania and, more recently, Africa. Every user, regardless of the size of the farm and the cultivation system used, can significantly reduce their machine and labor costs with no-till and improve soil quality at the same time,” says Lucas Zickermann.
The Novag sales team from Germany will be exhibiting a Novag T-ForcePlus 150 at agraria in Wels. Hall 18, Stand 120