The VF technology developed by the multinational BKT is a tangible solution to real problems, notably in the Brazilian Cerrado

Farms in the Cerrado region in Brazil, the world’s leading tropical agricultural frontier with over 200 million hectares, differ from those in Europe for being true industrial platforms, where technology, innovation, and precision agriculture converge in full integration. Plots spanning thousands of hectares, high powered tractors over 300 HP, 36-row seeders, self-propelled sprayers covering 500 hectares a day, but also autonomous drive, yield sensors, and real-time remote monitoring make this unique farming landscape one of the most productive on the Planet, where the tire becomes a structural component of productivity.

Balkrishna Industries Ltd. (BKT), the leading multinational manufacturer of Off-Highway tires with one of the widest product ranges available on the market, has designed solutions that are tailored to the specific operational characteristics of this part of the world. An area where the tire becomes an even more critical choice than in other places, being at the same a fundamental element of soil management and synonymous with long-term productivity.

The uniqueness of the Cerrado in terms of soil, equipment, and logistics

The structural characteristics of the Latosol soil in the Cerrado, where double-crop soybean-maize is dominant, make soil compaction a serious and ever-increasing challenge. On plots of 5,000–10,000 hectares that are, indeed, traversed twice a year for the double harvest, compaction builds up invisibly manifesting in the yields with a 2–3-year delay.

In this context, farming machinery is subject to unparalleled stress due to operating weights regularly exceeding 15–20 tons. Another crucial issue aspect relates to the logistics of farming operations spanning over a vast network of unpaved and dirt roads, the so-called estradas vicinais, where tractors travel up to 100 km at high speeds under heavy loads over rutted terrain in the dry season, or over muddy and ford-intensive surfaces in the rainy season.

BKT’s response to complex needs

In the Cerrado, Very High Flexion (VF) technology is a real opportunity for farms seeking to maximize the productivity of their land in this region. Above all, it is the technical solution that combines operational needs with efficiency and performance. To address these highly complex requirements, BKT has developed a range of tires featuring VF technology, starting from AGRIMAX SPARGO, designed to increase in-field productivity while preserving the soil in the long term, and AGRIMAX V-FLECTO, designed to meet the demanding requirements of the most powerful faming machinery in the most challenging applications in modern agriculture, especially under the just described operating conditions with extraordinarily high stakes.

“The productivity at an industrial level, which has made Brazil the world’s leading soybean exporter comes at a hidden cost: soil compaction. With our tires featuring VF technology, such as AGRIMAX SPARGO and AGRIMAX V-FLECTO, we wanted to deliver a tangible solution to real problems that comes with numerous different sizes to cover a wide range of tractor profiles from 200 to 500 HP, i.e. those dominating the big farms in the Cerrado,” commented Willem-Jan Straatman, Product Manager Agricultural Tires, BKT.

In particular, the AGRIMAX V-FLECTO’s ability to carry up to 40% more load compared to a standard tire of the same size at the same inflation pressure proves essential for handling the actual operating weights in the Cerrado without applying ground pressures that might compromise the soil structure. The ultra-resistant casing with reinforced bead helps maintain stability on unpaved roads at speeds up to 65 km/h, a specific technical requirement in this type of environment that a standard tire cannot meet. Moreover, the tire’s distinguishing NRO technology (Narrow Rim Option) allows for mounting it on standard rims rather than dedicated ones, ensuring immediate compatibility with the existing fleets of large Brazilian operators without the need for additional investment. AGRIMAX SPARGO, on the other hand, excels in spraying operations and row crop applications while providing also extended durability and high stability—essential features when transporting heavy loads.

The combination of all these features makes these BKT tires the winning solution for the Brazilian farming market. It is also a concrete opportunity for the region to keep up with its intense productivity demands thanks to products that stand out for their reliability.

Tagged: Soil Management

Very High Flexion Tires by BKT: A Real Opportunity for Brazilian Agriculture