Horticultural machinery: Ciagri interview

Ciagri SCL is a company dedicated to the horticultural machinery sector, specialized in fruit calibratorsGREEFA” and in peripherals for fruit graders. Based in Cieza, it also has used horticultural machinery.

1.-How Ciagri emerged and why it basically specialized in fruit graders.
Ciagri, It arose from repeated questions from people interested in purchasing fruit calibrators. Years ago, these were not as common as today. The interest of producers and cooperatives It was obvious, so we decided to look for some type of calibrator that we could distribute, and of course, provide very effective assistance. That's when we found GREEFA, a world leader in the sector.

2.-What type of clients demand your services?
The clients who demand our services and products are very varied. They can range from small family businesses to the largest fruit and vegetable cooperatives at the national level.

3.-Where do you sell your agricultural machinery?
Ciagri is a distributor of the Dutch firm GREEFA. We sell their calibrators in Murcia and Andalusia. And as for peripherals for them, we can serve them nationwide, always with punctual delivery and very competent technical service.

4.-Once the economic crisis that we have suffered since 2008 is over, more or less...is the fruit producer today more encouraged to make investments in horticultural machinery?
We have been working side by side with farmers for many years, aware of the difficulties they have gone through but certain that they would overcome them because it is nothing new, it is what they have done all their lives. But it is true that since last year, we have noticed how little by little, there are more and more companies interested in new machinery or in renewing existing ones.

5.-The farmer does not usually look at short-term profitability in his business. Is this noticeable when they invest in debt in horticultural machinery?
Nowadays, when it comes to investing in fruit calibrators, we know that these are investments with very high costs, but profitable from the first moment. That is why it is very important to choose the right brand. We must know that this type of machinery has a useful life of between 15 and 20 years, which is why it is vitally important to pay attention to the quality of the materials with which it is manufactured. Likewise, it is important to study the brand, its history, results of its R&D department and finally, have guarantees that the brand will continue to innovate.
We have a lot of experience and we sell only quality machinery, and we establish a relationship with the client with a full guarantee after-sales service that means that the investment they make does not weigh on them.

6.-Calibrating machines are almost as old as large-scale marketing. How are those machines similar to those of today?
Since 1953 when GREEFA presented the A3 calibrator until today, we have taken a great step in the sector. In the past, calipers only worked by mechanical weight and (manual) diameter. Currently, our calibrators have the most accurate calibration systems such as iQS4 (fourth generation external quality), iFA (internal quality, degrees brix), iPIX (external rot in citrus), etc.
7.-Can the treatment that the machine gives to the fruit in any way damage it?
Our calibrators are specially designed for very delicate treatment of fruit without sacrificing productivity. We have clients working with stone fruit, apple, pear, persimmon, etc. and they highly value the good treatment of the fruit because the markets are very demanding that the products arrive with quality.

Of course, the productivity of our calibrators surprises.

8.-Of the machinery you work, which is the most in demand?
Within our wide range of GREEFA calibrators, the most demanded today are the models SmartSort and GeoSort. Smart chain calibrators (up to 12 steps) with various measurement systems: size, weight, color, iQS4 (external quality), iFA (internal quality, brix degrees), iPIX (external rot in citrus), etc.

9.-How do you think agriculture will evolve in the coming years? Has it already reached its maximum level of mechanization, especially as far as you are concerned, the handling phase?
According to our experience, more and more efforts are being made to automate calibration lines using the 100%.
We have clients in various parts of the world who are capable of working very high quantities of different products with the 90% with fewer personnel compared to the 80s-90s.
From the depalletizing area to filling bulk boxes, alveoli, baskets, etc.

10.-What is important for the client when purchasing your machinery? The speed, the treatment of the fruit, the price, the after-sales service...
From our point of view and with our experience, anyone interested in purchasing a calibrator must take into account various factors:
o That the calibrator adapts to your needs (number of lines and outputs).
o Necessary calibration parameters.
o Very gentle treatment of the fruit.
o After-sales service (immediate availability, spare parts, experience, etc.).
or Price.
Everything is valued. The customer knows that all factors are important and that they must think a lot about ensuring that the machinery they purchase meets all of them.

11.-New or used?
There are clients with different needs and possibilities. Of course, if it is used machinery, it is very important to know its condition, both mechanically, electrically, electronically and computer science. It is also important that the machine we are interested in purchasing has a warranty and, no less important, a technical service (distributor) nearby.
As for the price, after looking at the used machine, we must always know the price of the new machine we need, since sometimes the fact that there are aid and subsidies can change our decision.