Over 130 Sugarcane Professionals, Growers, Millers Participate in First South East Asia Sugarcane Summit 2019

South East Asia Sugarcane Summit 2019 hosted by Case IH was held from 7th to 10th of July at the Greenery Resort in Khao Yai, Thailand. Being the first major initiative of such types, it brought together over 130 sugarcane professionals, Sugarcane growers, millers and other industry representatives from throughout Asia to discuss innovation, sustainability, and profitability in the sugarcane industry.

Along with the event, the 75th anniversary of Austoft® was also celebrated, marking a significant milestone and a proud moment for the Case IH brand.

“We have never had a Case IH event of this kind in Thailand, which encourages the participation of our sugarcane customers from right across South East Asia, and our speakers from Brazil and Australia have allowed the sugar growers and millers attending the event to compare and contrast alternative methods of production” said Emre Karazli, CNH Industrial Business Director, Agriculture, South East Asia, and Japan.

He added “This event mirrors our vision to make the region a center of excellence for sugarcane harvesting machinery”.

International stakeholders addressed some key subjects of the industry including how alternative farming practices can increase yield; best practices on water usage, optimization of the sugarcane waste stream and improvement of the health of cane cutters; modern methods of planting sugarcane for southeast Asia; the advantages of Case IH sugarcane harvesters; telemetric systems and precision guidance with practical demonstration for guests; and the history of Austoft over the past 75 years.

The participants had the chance to attend a training session on the Case IH Austoft Simulator, the first fully-immersive simulator in Asia which is created to support and train operators on sugarcane harvester operations before they get to the field.

Michele Monzio, Case IH Austoft Product Manager, Asia, Middle East, and Africa said, “With 75 years of expertise in the field, we have worked with growers and millers to develop our harvesting technology which has revolutionized sugarcane farming throughout the world.” 

 “Our Summit participants represented eight major markets in Asia, all of which have benefited from Austoft technology since at least 2009 when the Austoft 8000 Series was launched. To date over 750 Austoft sugarcane harvesters have been sold in South East Asia and China, and we are very proud to have such a good relationship with growers and millers.” He added.

Karazli added “With all of our machinery experience, we know that harvesting mechanization is just one part of the picture. As an industry, we must work together to become more productive, ensuring we can provide the world with more food, fuel, and fiber while protecting our resources and improving the lives of the people working in the industry. We are very privileged and proud to have been able to host so many experts at our Summit.” 

Feng He, Vice President at Nanning Poly Sunway Technologies Engineering Co., Ltd in the Guanxi Province, China said, “This Summit was a real opportunity to meet with other dealers, customers, and professionals from all over the world. We not only learned more about the Austoft 8000 Series and 4000 Series sugarcane harvesters and Case IH АFS precision farming solutions, but we also gained a deeper understanding on how their performance can increase the efficiency of sugarcane businesses in a variety of countries. I am confident that this experience will help in improving my business in the future.”