Senwes Scenario December 2016 / January 2017 | Page 21

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T RA D E N E W S ••

A John Deere and Senwes Equipment customer for life
> CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17

Herbert Mabuza receives his 250 ton club
certificate from vice-chairman of Grain
SA, Preline Swart.

While they were the ones receiving the awards they applauded
the assistance they receive from
Senwes. Herbert said: “The support from Senwes over the years
has been invaluable.” Another
crucial aspect was the support
from Senwes Agronomist, Julias
Ramohlabi. Herbert said that
Julias is the crucial link between
him and virtually every aspect of
service at Senwes, “I could even
pick up the phone and call him
on a Sunday, and he would assist
me.” Simon said that “Julias is
my power and I rate him 12 out
of 10.”
The achievements of these
two are great to see since Senwes
Scenario also focused on them
as emerging farmers during the
past year and has followed them
on their road to success. Well
done Simon and Herbert, you
are paragons of success. Keep
it up!
Meanwhile, also at the Grain
SA Smallholder of the Year
Awards Ceremony, the 2016
Grain SA/Absa Subsistence
Farmer of the Year award was
given to Mzwayi David Zuma
from Estcourt in KwaZuluNatal with the 2016 Grain SA/
Syngenta Smallholder Farmer of
the Year award going to Sizwe
Ngwenya from Piet Retief in
Mpumalanga.

– “According to Kwek, Senwes converts customers to John Deere. I
think Kwek has a lot to do with it
as well". Kwek says that it is Senwes
Equipment’s objective to maintain
a 40% market share. What is
particularly satisfying is that a customer such as Agrivan, who used to
buy from competitors in the past,
has now converted 100% to John
Deere. “I can honestly say that
Werner’s blood is green.”
AGRIVAN FARMING
Agrivan has already embarked on
its replacement programme. The
first John Deere tractor was traded
in at 3 750 hours and the replacement of the rest of the fleet has
been scheduled.
Agrivan Farming is involved in
potato farming and potatoes are
being produced on 700 hectares
according to a 7-year rotation programme. This unit, which consists
of four farms, is in the Christiana
area. They are also shareholders
and members at Wesgro, the largest supplier of potatoes in South
Africa.
Relationships are important
to Werner. Kwek has a long-term
customer in Agrivan or, as Werner
puts it, “Kwek has my fleet and the
replacement programme. Tractor
replacement is like the application
of insecticides or fertiliser - it is
something you have to do.” He
says that after they purchased the
14 x 5076E, everything started
to fall into place. “The price was
better, the guarantee was better, the
rate, namely prime less 9%, and
the exceptional trade-in value was

better than the value offered by
competitors,” according to this
good businessman.
JOHN DEERE – EMOTION AND SUMS
“Obviously there is some emotion
when it comes to John Deere and
it feels good to be green ONLY.
John Deere speaks of quality.
However, the sums have to work
out as well. My son Werner (6)
will never forgive me if I buy
anything else. He will think there
is something wrong with me."
Werner has two other children as
well, namely the eldest Anje and
little Pieter.
“We have quite a significant fleet
and after this year I can say in
all honesty that, compared to
everything in the same class, John
Deere cannot be beaten.”
According to Werner they
never went into this blindlly facts are what matter.
It is a win-win situation.
SENWES AND JOHN DEERE CUSTOMERS
Agrivan is a large Senwes customer and it regularly supports the
Hartswater and Hoopstad business
units. In addition the Senwes
Equipment business package is
growing.
With the next generation of
producers growing up, Werner
is positive that the green tractors
will roar on this farm for years
to come. “I would like to thank
Senwes Equipment and John
Deere. I have never doubted the
answers I receive from them. My
son can also relax - John Deere it
will be for the future.”

SENWES Scenario • DEC 2016/JAN 2017

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