Two old ones replaced by one modern one
Agricultural enterprise AGROCHOV Kasejovice-Smolivec a. s. is engaged in mixed production. They breed over 1,300 Holstein and Red-tail dairy cows and around 200 beef cows in a closed herd. Farming near the Brda Mountains at an altitude of around 500 m above sea level means that the farm is mainly oriented towards narrow-row crops, with about a third of the total agricultural area of 2 9 170 ha being meadows and pastures.
“All of our land is located in an area less favourable for farming, part of the land is also in a mountain production area,” Miroslav Slavíček, chairman of the company’s board of directors, outlined the situation in the Kasejovice area during our meeting. This also implies restrictions for broad-row crops, which cannot be grown on heavily eroded land, on moderately eroded land with sowing, for example, using strip-till intercropping technology. As intercrops they mainly use mustard, rye, rye, and others, the most threatened plots have already been grassed in the past.
On arable land, 125 ha of winter rape, which was very successful last year with a yield of 3.92 t/ha, and 351 ha of winter wheat (5.54 t/ha), 265 ha of spring malting barley (4.92 t/ha), winter barley on 219 ha (4.92 t/ha), winter triticale with a yield of 5.17 t/ha on 125 ha, hairy oats on 78 ha (3.92 t/ha), maize for silage on about 450 ha and clover and clover-grass mixtures on 142 ha.
The references have attracted
The quality of storage of both market and feed commodities, with a total production of around 5,500 tonnes of cereals, is a significant factor in the company. Optimum hygiene conditions are also important. However, the old post-harvest lines from the 1970s were no longer able to meet this standard, so the chairman of the company started thinking about a new modern building. Among the companies that focus on the implementation of such buildings, Farmix, a. s., which has been active in the field of grain and grain processing for over a quarter of a century, attracted attention by its references and proximity.
The requirements of AGROCHOV Kasejovice-Smolivec for a new post-harvest line were mainly aimed at increasing the storage capacity and the possibility of faster drying and cleaning. As Martin Kastner, project manager at Farmix, says, investor satisfaction is very important to them, which is why the consultancy work associated with the presentation of the designs, which they provide free of charge, is essential. All project documentation is then provided by an external designer.
Efficient use of space
The post-harvest line in Kasejovice was built on the site of an old pig farm, which had not served its purpose for a long time and was not a representative part of the area. The construction permit was obtained by the company in February 2023, construction started in May of the same year and the approval took place in June 2024 so that the line would be ready for last year’s harvest, Miroslav Slavíček described the time sequence. The new post-harvest line, the chairman further said, includes a sufficiently large receiving bin (8 x 4 m), separated from other technology due to dust, as well as an underpass dispatch silo with a capacity of 50m3. In addition, the VibroMAX JCM 10222 grain cleaner is located on the dust chambers (self-propelled discharge of dirt) and the conveyor roads ensure smooth and efficient operation. The equipment also includes a grain dryer of the American manufacturer NECO model D1690CE, which is capable of drying 25 tons per hour (from 17% to 13% moisture content for wheat). The line also includes four silos of the renowned manufacturer Mysilo with a total volume of 4216m3, equipped with modern features. Martin Kastner mentioned, for example, the aeration fans and the 50 t/h removal systems. He also highlighted the fully perforated floors that allow the entire volume of stored material to be aerated, which prevents the formation of mould and mycotoxins.
Unquantifiable added value
According to the chairman, the return on the investment in the post-harvest line (approximately CZK 40 million) cannot be easily calculated. Part of the technology was co-financed by the European Union through the Ministry of Industry and Trade under the Energy Savings Grant (CZK 3 570 thousand). According to Miroslav Slavíček, the energy savings of the new line are very significant, reaching roughly a quarter of the value compared to the original lines located in Kasejovice and Starý Smolivec, with three times higher storage capacity. The added value is also seen in the independence from other companies – they can clean and dry all the production themselves, and also better value (clean and well stored production = higher sales). This is very important at the time of current commodity prices, e.g. the purchase price of rapeseed at the time of the interview was 12,000 CZK/t, feed wheat between 4,200 and 4,500 CZK/t, food wheat between 5,000 and 5,300 CZK/t, malting barley was less than 5,000 CZK/t …
The advantage of the new post-harvest line is not only the quality of storage, but also the automation, which leads to wage savings (previously there were two employees on each line, today it is also possible to control it from a computer from the office / via mobile phone), and centralization in one place in Kasejovice. We cannot forget the environmental benefits (saving of diesel fuel on runs, heating with gas …).
Maximum accessories and expansion possibilities
Farmix tried to equip the line with maximum accessories. “In the storage silos, for example, there are large doors for easy access. The silos themselves are extra durable thanks to a coating with a rich 600 g of zinc per m 2which guarantees their reliability and long service life,” said Martin Kastner. For the roofs, they have chosen thick roof trusses, a larger fan for the storage of rapeseed in particular (because of the small seeds), and a full-size roof staircase, for example. It is also practical to solve all the transport routes on the post-harvest line at 50 t/h, so there is no need to slow down or speed up anywhere. It is also becoming common practice on Farmix’s new post-harvest lines that all the technology (dryer, cleaner, receiving bin and control room) down to the silos is hidden in one hall, which extends its lifetime.
Currently, the new silos in Kasejovice store about two-thirds of the production after harvest, preferably of food quality. The rest of the production goes into storage sheds (silos after the sale of market commodities) for the time being. “From the beginning, we have been trying to design the post-harvest line in such a way that we can increase capacity,” says Martin Kastner. In Kasejovice, another larger silo with a capacity of 2,500m3 could be built in the future with relatively simple construction work.
Farmix gives a two-year warranty on any repairs to the post-harvest line, including a pre-season inspection. The company also provides an after-sales service, where it is standard that a service technician is on site within 24 hours after an agreement with the customer. During the references Miroslav Slavicek did not spare positive evaluations of both the construction company and the contractor. Farmix offers the possibility of implementing a turnkey post-harvest line. Agrochov chose the option of using their own construction company, with which they already had experience in the implementation of buildings in livestock production, Farmix arranged the construction of the hall, technology and wiring.
Challenges for the company
Today, farms face a number of challenges, whether it is legislation or sufficient skilled labour. As Miroslav Slavíček says, they are already feeling, for example, a clear decline in pesticides or complications related to the allocation of land blocks and obtaining subsidies (despite the final owner being classified as a large enterprise). Another problem, according to the chairman, is redistributive payments, even though, thanks to livestock production, they have about 80 employees for whom they pay taxes.
Despite various complications, AGROCHOV Kasejovice-Smolivec is still developing. In recent years, they have invested in livestock production buildings, completely rebuilding two farms, reconstructing one, replacing milking and cooling technology … In crop production, for example, they use a fleet of tractors with GPS locators, which, among other things, has resulted in significant savings in diesel fuel, preparations and fertilizers, and application data are automatically recorded and sent to the relevant institutions. The modernisation of the company is evident at every turn, including the new landmark of the Kasejovice site, the modern post-harvest line for cereals.
Author of the article: Barbora Venclová for Zemedelec 5/2025