Case IH trains Balkan orchard farmers

Case IH has been running an innovative mechanisation and training initiative to support orchard farmers in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as part of their Sustainable Development Initiative. The program included a visit by 10 participating customers to the Case IH European headquarters and tractor plant at St. Valentin in Austria.

The Balkan country has 100,000 ha of orchards but 90% of the agricultural equipment there is more than 20 years old. The project aims to help orchard owners enhance productivity, encourage greater ecological awareness, and create a healthier work environment.

Initiated and sponsored by the Sustainability Team at CNH Industrial, it involved Case IH Eastern Europe/Balkans, Motoremont d.o.o in Gradiška, the newly appointed Case IH importer for Bosnia and Herzegovina, together with Spektar, a Bosnian based non-profit organization.

Operator health protected

All the guests purchased specialist Case IH Quantum 65 V tractors which incorporate a range of features that their old machines did not have, such as air conditioning and creeper transmissions. Popular with fruit and vineyard operations because of their compact dimensions, manoeuvrability, versatility and performance, Quantum models are modern, efficient, and productive, so every task can be completed quickly, easily, and safely. A key feature is the comfortable, ergonomic, air-conditioned cab with carbon filtration to prevent the ingress of agricultural chemicals when spraying, helping to protect operator health.

Spektar provided agricultural chemical usage training for customers taking part in the project. It covered how to manage agricultural chemicals in a sustainable way, what the potential hazards for humans, animals, and the environment are, and how to reduce the risk of accidents. Spektar’s NGO (Non-Governmental Organization) status guaranteed high quality, independent advice on selecting a specific group of customers, while Motoremont provided additional information and aftersales support.

Applying lessons on-farm

Farmer Dejan Popović said: “We all found the training really informative, and for myself I am really looking forward to applying it with my tractor on my farm, as it not only fits my agronomical needs on my farm, but also supports health and sustainability”.

Daniela Ropolo, Head of Sustainable Development Initiatives at CNH Industrial, stated: “CNH Industrial is continually searching for better solutions and breakthrough ideas to meet the enormous challenge of feeding and sheltering a growing global population. Part of our vision is to sustainably advance the essential role of agricultural workers throughout the world, so I am delighted with the success of this project, which resulted from the excellent cooperation between CNH Industrial, Case IH, Motoremont and Spektar.”