Optimising fuel usage on your farm: Part 1

With fuel contributing heavily to farmers’ input costs, every fuel price hike has a negative impact on their bottom lines. Godfried Heydenrych, managing director of Argo South Africa, spoke to Magda du Toit about what producers can do to mitigate the effects of rising fuel costs.

- Magda du Toit

Tillage and field operations consume a significant proportion of total energy used in crop and livestock production. By following a few basic rules, it may be possible for producers to mitigate some of the effects of the rising fuel and energy costs, reduce on-farm fuel consumption, prolong the lifespan of tractors and other equipment, and protect the environment.

“Even a small improvement in efficiency can boost a farmer’s bottom line,” says Godfried Heydenrych, managing director of Argo South Africa, a subsidiary of Argo Tractors.

OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE

One of the easiest ways to achieve fuel efficiency is to ensure that farm vehicles and other equipment are serviced according to the maintenance plan set out in the operator’s manual.