MASCHIO GASPARDO is promoting direct contact with the agricultural sector in southern Spain

The company organised a technical visit to southern Spain between 13 and 17 April, as part of its strategy to build closer relationships with customers and develop solutions tailored to the sector’s real needs. This initiative has helped to strengthen direct dialogue with agricultural professionals in one of the most diverse and demanding regions from a production perspective.

Southern Spain is positioned as a strategic environment for agricultural innovation due to its diversity of crops and conditions. From the intensive horticulture of Almería and Murcia, known as the “kitchen garden of Europe”, to the predominance of olive groves in Andalusia, with the largest area and production in the world, through to crops such as almonds, pistachios, citrus fruits and extensive areas of vineyards and cereals, the region represents a veritable natural laboratory for the development of new solutions.

To gain first-hand insight into the realities faced by agricultural professionals in the south of the country, Stefano Magoga, product manager for power harrows and rotary tillers, and Mattia Vetoratto, product manager for vegetable seed drills; and they were accompanied by key representatives from the Iberian team and the sales department, such as Montse Aroca, product manager at MASCHIO GASPARDO IBÉRICA; Carlos Moral, area sales manager for the southern region; Matteo Maschio, Head of Key Farms; as well as the team from Agrosan (La Palma – Cartagena and Lorca in Murcia), Agrícola Domingo Herrero (Santa Fé; Granada), Agrolabor Nevada (Mollina; Málaga) and Maquinaria Agrícola Núñez (Lebrija; Seville).

In this regard, Carlos Moral explains that: “agriculture in the south is characterised by enormous diversity, both in terms of crops and production systems, which implies the need for highly adaptable machinery, and particularly in these last two areas we were able to see, together with our colleagues from Italy, the enormous potential that exists for vegetable seeders ”.

A diverse region that shapes the needs of agricultural professionals

Carlos Moral highlights, in addition to the region’s enormous agricultural diversity, the relationship between machinery and horticultural production: “It is the different cultivation systems that determine the most suitable type of seed drill. To this end, MASCHIO GASPARDO offers, in its ORIETTA and OLIMPIA models, a wide range of highly customisable solutions, capable of adapting to any crop and associated technology”. Technologies such as ISOBUS systems facilitate this advanced management, contributing to more sustainable agriculture that is aligned with the requirements of European regulations.

The southern climate, characterised by heat, water scarcity and soil variability, also influences the design of the machinery: “Climatic and growing conditions may require specific specifications in horticultural seed drills,” continues Moral. A clear example is the integration of irrigation into the sowing process: “At the same time as sowing, we can install the associated irrigation system, such as a drip tape or hose. In other words, we offer a complete solution that combines sowing and the installation of the irrigation system simultaneously,” he concludes.

Precision, digitalisation and sustainability: the keys to the present

For her part, Montse Aroca highlights that the horticultural sector is evolving rapidly towards “highly modular and versatile” equipment, capable of adapting to multiple working conditions.

Horticultural mechanisation is undergoing a period of transformation driven by the need to improve profitability and comply with an increasingly demanding regulatory environment. According to Aroca, precision is no longer an added value, but an essential requirement.

Agricultural professionals are demanding Agriculture 4.0 tools that enable the precise application of inputs in real time, as well as digital systems that convert data into effective operational decisions. All of this, moreover, is aligned with the requirements of the Digital Farm Logbook and European regulations linked to the CAP and the Green Deal.

Looking to the future: automation and applied innovation

Technological innovation continues to lead the way in the sector. Although full automation still requires further development, the future points towards increasingly intelligent and connected equipment.

As Aroca explains, artificial intelligence enables machines to evolve from simple execution to real-time decision-making, adjusting sowing parameters according to variables such as soil moisture or texture.

In this vein, projects such as LIFE APOLLO, driven by the subsidiary Free Green Nature, are already in the implementation phase, incorporating autonomous robotic systems capable of carrying out high-precision plant protection treatments and contributing to a significant reduction in the use of chemicals.

Technology and adaptability as hallmarks

MASCHIO GASPARDO’s vegetable seeders stand out for their high level of customisation and their ability to adapt to different types of crops and working conditions. This modular approach is complemented by strong technical support and a specialised team that supports each customer throughout the entire process.

The company continues to make progress in the development of new technologies, such as the ISOTRONIC architecture, as well as double and triple drop systems, improvements to the ejectors to increase sowing precision, and new components designed to offer even more configuration options.

All of this is part of a clear strategy: to constantly evolve based on the real needs of the field and those who work there.