Interview by AgroNotizie with Giuliano Rizzato, head of Sfoggia Sales and Marketing. The company in Montebelluna (Tv) will be present at the first edition of the Stuttgart show
By Lorenzo Pelliconi
Giuliano Rizzato, head of Sfoggia Sales and Marketing
This is the second stop of AgroNotizie on the way to Hortitechnica 2016, inside Intervitis Interfructa at the Stuttgart trade fair from November 27th to 30th. Sfoggia is partnering with Dlg Italia in their Head Crop Special “Italians take the field”, where the entire production process for a head of lettuce will be reproduced.
Sfoggia, a mechanical company from Treviso, was founded in 1956 and originally worked in the construction of hydraulic and agribusiness systems. In the ‘70s, the company decided to invest in a new sector, agriculture. Sfoggia then opened a new factory of 12,000 square meters and began to design and construct agricultural machinery, mainly seeders and transplantors, satisfying the various requests from the market. The challenge to achieve world recognition was accomplished, and today, Sfoggia Agricolture Division is widely known as a leader in the global market for quality and efficiency.
Which processes and machines will you present at the Special at Hortitechnica?
“Let’s start with the V140 Mulching Machine,” Giuliano Rizzato, head of Sfoggia Sales and Marketing, told AgroNotizie. “It’s a machine to lay biodegradable plastic or paper on level or bedded soil. The working width is easily adjustable which makes it easy to change the machine to the desired width. The model presented at Hortitechnica can lay a film up to 140 cm wide. There are two other models, the V190 and the V210 with a respective working width of 190 centimeters and 210 centimeters. The machine can be accessorized with a hose layer, fertilizer spreader, microgranulator, row markers and nailed wheels.”
“The Plantec One is instead a semiautomatic transplantor for seedlings in cubic turf on normal or mulched soil. Plantec One’s aluminum cups insure the transplantation of seedlings in cubic, conical or pyramidal turf, as is the case with head crop cultivation.”
“Finally, we will be presenting the Thema Weeder. This is the cultivator that goes between crop rows, either with vibrating springs or fixed hoes to weed between the rows. In addition to mechanical weeding, this weeder mixes the superficial layer of soil to facilitate air circulation which in turn interrupts the capillary action, therefore decreasing water evaporation. This is only possible on non-mulched soil. This machine can also be equipped with various accessories, including a fertilizer spreader, autonomous or manual driving options, plant protection and weeding fingers to remove weeds at the base of plants, an area that is not easily reached with a normal hoe.”
Thema Weeder (Image source: © Sfoggia)
Why are you presenting these specific machines?
“These are both interesting and new for farmers with respect to older systems. These machine models and configurations were chosen because of their use in head crop cultivation, transplantation in mulched soil (a very common technique), space between crop rows and the characteristics of the plants. Apart from Thema, these are all machines that are used for the transplantation o heads of lettuce in mulched soil. Following this method it is possible to avoid weeds and plants grow with exterior temperatures that are lower than the minimum necessary due to the “greenhouse effect” created by the covering film that heats the soil. Organic farming is therefore possible due to the lack of weeds. When transplantation is performed on empty, normal and non-mulched land, the Thema can be used for mechanical weeding.”
Thema Weeder (Image source: © Sfoggia)
Why are you participating in Hortitechnica and what are your expectations regarding this first edition?
“We’re participating in Hortitechnica because we strongly believe in this new project. It is a top class international showcase where we will have the opportunity to best show the public how our machines actually work.”
At Hortitechnica, what is the reason for your participation/partnership in the Head Crop Special organized by Dlg Italia and what are your expectations?
“We expect a strong participation and interest from the public since this is a show specific to a certain sector and not farming in general.”
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