Strong partner for the farmers
Jerković D.o.o. is one of the most important authorised service and sales partners in Croatia. Besides agricultural machinery from HORSCH he also sells products of other manufacturers. In more than 50 years the Jerković family built up a successful company with a focus on sales and service for agricultural machines.
Alojzije Jerković comes from Koška, a small village in the Slavonia region in East Croatia. He already is the third generation to run the family business Jerković D.o.o. In addition to selling and providing the service for agricultural machines, the family also runs an own farm with 230 hectares
The history of the Jerković company dates back to 1958 when his grandfather started to import and sell agricultural machines. In the 1960s his father took over the company. Since 1970 the company has been working as a sales and service partner and as an authorised sales representative for agricultural machinery in East Croatia. “At that time, my father started to sell second-hand machines and tractors and extended the business. He started with Steyr tractors and second-hand Claas harvest machines and combines that he imported from Germany and Austria. He was head of the service for today’s ex-Yugoslavia.”
At the end of the 1980s, after his military service, Alojzije Jerković completed a vocational training as a mechanic for agricultural machinery. He went to Steyr at St. Valentin to gather practical experience. “I learned a lot in the repair shop. In addition, I attended all technical courses with regard to machines and tractors in Serbian, Croatian and Slovenian language to be able to guarantee optimum technical support for our customers.” Right in time for the 30th company anniversary, he joined the family business. At that time, Alojzije’s father got in contact with Claas. The result was a basic co-operation and Jerković started to sell second-hand combines, balers etc. “At the end of the 1990s we became sub-partner and B-dealer for Claas products. Since 2012 we have been an A-dealer.“
In 2019 a new site was built on an area of 2.8 ha with a building of approx. 2,000 m2, including a 700 m2 fully equipped spare part warehouse. There also are offices, repair shops with a complete range of tools as well as a 750 m2 washing hall that was opened this year. “We have all required licences and a comprehensive spare part warehouse to optimally support the farmers and to provide an excellent service. Moreover, at our disposal a complete range of tools, cars and professional employees who take care of our customers’ interests.” Alojzije Jerković employees 25 people and well-known agricultural companies like Žito or Belje, PPK Valpovo, PPK Kutjevo, Krnjak figure among his customers.
Co-operation with HORSCH
In 2006, Alojzije visited HORSCH in Schwandorf for the first time. “After this visit, I told my father that HORSCH preaches farming without a plough. He only laughed and said: Alojzije, this is difficult in our country as the soils are too different. We first had to make our own experiences and form an opinion“, Alojzije remembers. In the beginning, there was a lot of groundwork to do to show people that tillage can also be carried out without a plough and which advantages it involved. “In 2008/2009 we met Zoltan Kurunci who had just become the HORSCH sales manager for our region. And this was the beginning of a successful co-operation. It was not easy at first as at that time hardly anyone in Croatia knew HORSCH. This has changed now.“
The sales area of Jerković D.o.o. currently is approx. 180 x 130 km. It is situated between Western and Middle Croatia, Hungary, Serbia and Bosnia and the Pannonian Basin. “This is the region with the most and the largest arable fields and with the largest farms and companies with about 7,000, 8,000 or 10,000 hectares. The largest farms partly even cultivate 22,000 to 25,000 hectares. But the large, market-dominating companies are the minority. The farm size of most family and small farms ranges between 120 to 250 hectares. In addition to arable farming, some also concentrate on animal husbandry, dairy production or fruit trees.”
Agriculture and its future in Croatia
Agriculture plays a major role in Croatia. About two thirds of the land is used for agriculture. The soils in the Pannonian Basin are very fertile, especially in the Sava-Drava-interfluve. In the triangle between the rivers Drava, Danube and Sava there mainly are black clay soils which according to Alojzije are very fertile, but hard to cultivate. Near the rivers the soils are rather sandy.
Among others, the most important crops in Croatia are (seed) wheat, sunflowers, soybeans, barley, potatoes, maize and sugar beet. But in the regions with a favourable climate also special crops and fruits are grown. “The soils are particularly suitable for growing sugar beet. Rape has not been cultivated for quite a long time, but this changed during the past ten years. The legislation with regard to the use of plant protection agents and insecticides do not facilitate the cultivation of rape. In addition, the farmers to an increasing degree grow brewing barley and you also find a lot of industrial hemp in the fields.”
However, in Croatia, too, farmers notice the partly considerable climatic changes. “This year we had to struggle with considerably more dry periods than in the past years. Paradoxically, there also was a lot of rain, but unfortunately not in spring when we would have needed it. At harvest time, when rain is rather unfavourable, the precipitations amounted to 200 l/m2 within a few days. This was a big problem. The average annual rainfall amounted to 650 l/m2.“ Because of the climatic changes, farming changes, too. In Croatia, farmers also try to find new ways to secure the yields in the future. “New, innovative technology, tillage methods and the protection of micro-organisms in the soil are indispensable if you want to farm sustainably. It is also about keeping water in the soil to make sure it doesn’t dry out or about making passes more efficient.” The government subsidises agriculture in Croatia. This is very helpful and according to Alojzije the farmers with regard to investments also benefit from the currently increasing prices. Thus, they can earn money and/or put money aside for more difficult years and build up reserves. “But it must not go on like this forever. The prices have to become normal again.”
Customer satisfaction as the secret of success
Alojzije Jerković and his team attach major importance to service. “It is important that our customers are satisfied, and we always try to meet theirs wishes and requirements.”
In his repair shops, he repairs the agricultural machines of his customers. Moreover, there are 14 cars, among them two large Sprinter vans with a complete range of tools. “Thus, our technicians are flexible and always have a car at their disposal which they can use to go to the customers. And we can guarantee an optimum service in our whole sales area. For not every customer can come to our repair shop with his machine. Just think of a 8 m Pronto. In these cases, we always visit the farmers on site. Customers with smaller and lighter machines that are suitable for road transport also come to us.”
In December, Jerković offers every customer a so-called winter check for the machines. The machines are checked and can even be washed in the new washing hall. “In the cold months it is not so easy to wash a machine and the customers come to our new hall. Additionally, there is a large spare part warehouse at our new site with a complete range of spare parts for our customers: from wear part service via computers and monitors to drive motors etc.
In urgent cases, it only takes 24 hours to get a spare part from Germany. Otherwise, the parts are delivered with the weekly orders. Moreover, if time is of the essence, we always have spare machines – a Pronto, an Express, a cultivator and a disc harrow. So if it takes a little bit longer to repair a machine, we can provide a replacement machine at short notice.”
To complete the service, the company carries out soil analyses for their customers. They have equipped an off-road vehicle with a probe head to retrieve samples. “Based on the results we can give recommendations how to fertilise in a cost-efficient, efficient and environmental-friendly way. For only an optimally supplied plant can achieve high yields and economic success.“
The direction Croatian farmers are taking is towards digitalisation and nutrient analyses to apply nutrients in a site-specific way etc. “For us, it is important to not only sell the customer a cultivator or a disc harrow, but to analyse what he needs to farm optimally. We also train our employees in this respect. The trainings take place regularly together with our suppliers so that we can talk about the latest findings and benefit from the knowledge and the experience of the HORSCH service technicians.”
Another important task of the dealer is to pass on these findings and information to the farmer. “This is why we also offer trainings for farmers. We have a fully equipped training room for 45 people. When a customer buys a machine, at least one training day is always included in the price. They learn how to handle the machine and finally can operate them better and avoid errors.”
Jerković D.o.o. always follows the current trends and innovations of the agricultural sector and spreads its comprehensive knowledge and the positive experiences it among others gathers in the neighbouring countries to Croatia. Moreover, new investments guarantee a better positioning in the market. So the company is well set for the Croatian market and the customers appreciate the knowledge and the experience of the company.