The southernmost pivot in the world is located at Farm Chanarcillo in Primavera, eight kilometers from Cerro Sombrero.
It irrigates grasslands, improving the feed quality for the sheep grazing there. It thus contributes to securing employment and livelihood of the population in this inhospitable area. This first pivot delivered to Tierra del Fuego irrigates an area of 50 hectares and meets the highest quality standards: it is specially designed to withstand strong winds and cold.
The central pivot system satisfies the highest European quality standards, is 400 m long, has 7 towers and irrigates approximately 50 ha. Operating the system requires 42 liters of water per second, and a complete circuit with a minimal irrigation amount of 5 mm takes 16 hours. The system requires 40 hp for the pump and an additional 5.25 hp to move the seven towers of the pivot.
The system is constantly and continuously in use and can withstand both "normal" wind speeds of 50 to 60 km/h and peak wind speeds of up to 184 km/h.
The pivot is supplied with water from the Said River, which is channeled onto the property through a 7 km canal built by the farm owners.
This project was planned and implemented by Cooprinsem, Bauer’s exclusive representative in Chile. “The special natural conditions of Tierra del Fuego, in particular the heavy and fluctuating winds, pose special challenges for the technology. Oscar Arriagada, the Technical Director of Cooprinsem, was able to successfully solve all the problems,” Franz Peter Roll, Sales Director of Bauer Group confirms with satisfaction.
Image: Inauguration ceremony in the presence of the then Chilean Minister of Agriculture in November 2015