12,000 ha Sugar Cane Plantation in Ivory Coast
SUCAF, a 12,000 ha sugar cane plantation in Ivory Coast, supplies a yearly output potential of 50,000 tons. In 1997, 60% of the plantation was irrigated using different methods - traveling guns, solid sets and some center pivots.
In 1999, SUCAF'S irrigation manager, Mr. Laborde, chose to purchase Valley pivots and linears. Traveling guns were replaced due to the need for high water pressure and lack of irrigation uniformity. Solid sets had a high labor demand, the need to remove kilometers of pipes and sprinklers, and a leakage problem.
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"Our local dealer quoted a competitive price,
but a more important consideration was
their reputation and experience." |
"I have been managing irrigation systems in Africa for years, and for this last investment I was looking for several things: after-sale service, labor savings, energy savings and water application uniformity," commented Mr. Laborde. Valley has delivered all of that and more.
"For our first harvest with a full season under pivot and linear irrigation, our yields reached 90 tons/ha, exceeding our objective by more than 10 tons/ha," Mr. Laborde reports, "and, with a year of experience, we should be able to get over 100 tons/ha of sugar cane next year."
"Our local dealer quoted a competitive price, but a more important consideration was their reputation and experience. My dealer's African experience in irrigation gave me confidence." |
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