Need Farm Equipment Now? There Are Still Snarls in the Supply Chain
January 18, 2023 The “Amazon mentality” does not fly in the world of farm equipment, according to John Shenk, the Owner of Hillside Cultivator in Lititz, PA. Failing to plan ahead and still expecting an order to arrive in two days is not a recommended strategy for any grower, he says.
“I think the advice to buy early — not to wait — is good advice, no matter what the (supply chain or inflation) issue is,” Shenk says. “People call in June and want it right away.”
Shenk recalls the words of one of his own suppliers several years ago.
“I would like to say to people, ‘Why did you wait this long, and now you want it tomorrow?’ I would suggest to people that they not create emergencies for themselves,” Shenk says.
Compounding the problem, vegetable growers should heed supply and cost issues that are carrying over into the new year, according to a pair of suppliers.
Cameron Hill, the Director of North America with vegetable transplanter distributor Global Ag, says the supply chain is still “very slow,” especially for hydraulic and electric components. Lead times remain two to three times longer than before the pandemic and its lockdowns.
Regarding prices, some materials are slowly going down, he says, but inflation is absorbing that partial decrease.
“Signals are not positive, especially adding in the energy costs this winter,” Hill says.
In turn, growers should aim to make decisions far in advance and buy what they can afford now to avoid price increases.
“We often see that growers have trouble prioritizing their needs,” Hill says.
Most pressing to those growers, Hill says, is the issue of labor. “The latter seems to be on many growers’ minds — inconsistent (or nonexistent) availability of labor. We are seeing increased interest in our machines that allow one person to plant two rows … and fast.”
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