Viticulture Equipment From Italy

A recent farmers’ day in Paarl afforded wine farmers the chance to look at some of the best viticulture equipment from Italy. Glenneis Kriel reports.

- Glenneis Kriel

At the beginning of October, Italian show organizer Veronafiere sent a delegation of 12 Italian companies to exhibit machinery and products at a demonstration day co-hosted by Vinpro in Paarl. The exhibitors included Agro Tractors-Landini, Agrimaster-Demetra, B group, Carraro Agritalia, Celli, Dondi, Grena, Ideal, La Cruz, Orizonnti and Polimetal.

The event, Fieragricola South Africa, was attended by more than a hundred viticulturists, wine grape producers, and industry stakeholders, and gave Italian companies an opportunity to meet existing and new agents, growers and industry representatives.

The main focus of the event was on showcasing viticulture machinery and equipment. The following caught the eye of Farmer’s Weekly.

CELLI

The Celli Mizar mulcher (Photo 1) is ideal for mulching and cutting grass, shoots, and wood with a diameter of up to 7cm. It features front and upper counter blades, a 168mmdiameter rotor and 430mm- to 440mm-diameter flat hammers.

It is designed to be used on a medium-sized tractor and has a shielded box frame for extra safety.

The Celli MIRA (Photo 2) is suitable for pruning plant material with a thickness of up to 4cm. The mulcher has a hydraulic pick-up that enables it to separate material from cover crops and stones.

It can chop up prunings very finely due to its exit sieve, while at the same time leaving the cover crop largely undisturbed.

• Email James Reid, Red Ant Agri sales manager, at [e-mail].