The success story of Dewulf's Structural 30 in England

Alan and Jonathan Quail are farmers from The Fens, in England. They grow an average of 40 hectares of potatoes a year. In late 2020, they decided to look into the benefits of planting in a 3-row bed system. Their aim was to maximise their yield on the same acreage without increasing their ecological footprint. 

The solution? A mounted Structural 30 from Dewulf 

The search led them to Dewulf, and more specifically the Structural 30 planter, supplied by our dealer AgVantage. ‘The machine gives us the flexibility to change between two and three rows, even in difficult weather conditions. We might do this, for example, when there is too little soil in the bed,’ Alan Quail says. 

Four advantages of the Structural 30 during the planting process

1. Excellent depth control: Dewulf's planter offers precise depth control, as well as better control of seed spacing. This is especially useful when planting seed potatoes of different sizes. 
2. Optimum soil profile: the rear hood of the planter ensures an optimum soil profile without compacting that soil. 
3. More efficient weed management: the even profiles of the three rows allow more effective weed management. We now perform weed control before the sprouts emerge, without the need for herbicides, unlike when planting in two rows. 
4. More efficient water use: the moisture in the row is now retained more efficiently than in a standard 2-row system. This is particularly important for us because we cannot irrigate. 

Non-compacted ridges and equal size and shape of potato at harvest 

Our harvest clearly showed that the tops of the ridges were not compacted! This meant the harvester did not have to process as much soil AND that the soil was separated from the potato a lot better. 

The harvester could continuously work at the same depth, which in itself makes the harvesting process much easier. That constant depth effect also results in potatoes of consistent size and shape, resulting in significantly higher yields. 

Conclusion

‘With the benefits just mentioned in mind, we are confident we will easily recoup the cost of the planter within the first two years. We have already taken our potato crop to the next level.’

Alan Quail concludes, ‘Overall, we are delighted we decided to take the plunge and switch to a 3-row bed system. The build quality of the machine is exceptional, as we expected from such a reputable manufacturer. We also found the expert team at AgVantage to be immensely helpful!’