Domestic Six-Row Beet Harvester Produced
· Tarım TV
Kayseri Şeker's R&D Unit has completed the first prototype of a domestic six-row sugar beet harvester, developed with TÜBİTAK support, which will operate at a quarter of the cost of its imported counterparts.
Domestic Beet Harvester Developed
The first example of a six-row sugar beet harvester designed by Kayseri Şeker Factory's R&D Unit has been successfully produced. This new technology, capable of harvesting six rows of beets in the field simultaneously, aims to significantly reduce labor, time, and fuel costs for sugar beet producers. The machine, planned to be offered to farmers at a significant price advantage compared to its imported counterparts, is considered a major turning point in the domestic agricultural machinery sector.
TÜBİTAK Supported Joint R&D Project
The developed 'Development of a Six-Row Sugar Beet Harvester and Collector Machine Integrated with a Tractor Project' qualified for support within the framework of the TÜBİTAK Technology and Innovation Support Programs Presidency 1707 Demand-Based R&D Program. Onur Özdemir, Chief of Technological Research at Kayseri Şeker Factory's R&D Center, stated that they made a joint application with a Nevşehir-based technology firm in 2024, bringing the project to life and completing prototype trials.
Lower Cost Compared to Imported Machines
Reminding that single-row domestic harvesting machines are widely used in Turkey, Onur Özdemir, Chief of Technological Research at Kayseri Şeker Factory's R&D Center, made the following assessments:
'This machine is a machine that can be pulled by a tractor that almost every farmer has, harvesting and arranging six rows of beets on the soil surface simultaneously. Our farmers know how important this six-row machine is. It provides tremendous time savings. Generally, our farmers have single-row domestically produced harvesting machines. Unfortunately, six-row machines are imported; we do not have domestic production. The investment costs of these six-row machines are very high. Our investment cost will be relatively low compared to them; we will produce the machine at a cost around a quarter.'
Harvesting Capacity and Time Savings
The project team stated that the developed machine will multiply the harvesting speed and field efficiency, offering uninterrupted operation with its external storage design. Onur Özdemir, Chief of Technological Research at Kayseri Şeker Factory's R&D Center, explained the capacity difference between existing machines and the new design with the following words:
'With single-row machines, 10-12 decares can be harvested in 12 hours. You often have to stop your harvest because the storage is within the machine itself. Our machine will have external storage. We are currently seeing 6 decares per hour, but we estimate we can increase this to 8-9 decares per hour.'
Domestic Parts and Strong Supply Chain
The production of critical components of the machine with domestic capabilities also eliminates the spare parts and service issues experienced with imported machines. Explaining the parts procurement process, Onur Özdemir, Chief of Technological Research at Kayseri Şeker Factory's R&D Center, noted the following:
'We only procure a few components within our electrical panel from the Turkish distributor of a foreign-origin company. The hydraulic system, our steering system, our angle sensors are all domestically produced. Parts are produced in Ankara, Konya, and Sakarya. Currently, if you have a major breakdown in imported six-row machines, you might have to wait for a spare part for months, and you might miss the season here. Additionally, there is fuel savings. We harvest in one trip with this machine what we would take six trips for with a single-row machine used with a tractor.'
Easy Use Advantage Integrated with Tractor
The system, designed to work compatibly with farmers' existing tractors, stands out with its ease of use. Onur Özdemir, Chief of Technological Research at Kayseri Şeker Factory's R&D Center, who himself comes from a farming background, made the following statements regarding the domestic design's adaptation to habits:
'I've been on tractors since childhood. I personally conducted the trials of this machine at our factory site. If I were to operate an imported six-row machine now, I would feel significantly unfamiliar. It would take some time to get used to it and require training.'
Market Transformation and Import Reduction Goal
With the transition to mass production, the aim is for the machine to replace single-row machines in the domestic market and reduce import dependency. Conveying future goals, Onur Özdemir, Chief of Technological Research at Kayseri Şeker Factory's R&D Center, made the following assessment:
'Once we start production, we can completely remove single-row harvesting machines from the market. Every farmer will be able to use it. I believe it will also reduce the import of six-row imported machines. This will take some time because there are established brands in the market.'