Tech steps into the markets of agriculture

Today, technology plays an important role in every field of agriculture - from soil and water sensors that can detect moisture and nitrogen levels, weather tracking that can be accessed through mobile apps that focus mainly on agriculture, satellite imaging that allows farmers to receive crop imagery that helps them to examine their crops and pervasive automation that refers to any technology that reduces the operator’s workload. Technology is also taking over auctions - to make it easier and more accessible for buyers or sellers.

Petrus Van Heerden, director of Beeswinkel, an online auction platform, has created a solution to all your auction needs.

“Recent advances in internet technology have had a major impact on the supply chain management and, in particular, on sourcing strategies, practices and costs. Beeswinkel is proud of this new electronic platform where buyers and sellers are able to access their network on a daily basis throughout South Africa and Namibia,” explained Van Heerden.

Beeswinkel is a secure platform for all farmers where they can auction their animals. On this electronic trading platform, buyers and sellers can access their network throughout South Africa and Namibia. Their mission is to make your sale transactions as safe as possible for you, both as buyer and seller.

The selling and buying culture

Auctions are very important in agriculture and form an integral part of the selling and buying culture of farmers. Safe transactions are one of the reasons why farmers make use of auctions to sell or buy animals. Beeswinkel makes use of reverse auctioneering, a function that will make them the market maker in Southern Africa.

Some farmers take their cattle to auctions, just to take them back home again due to the cattle not selling, or they are forced to accept a lower price than what they have hoped for, due to transport costs. The farmer then usually feels like he wasted his time - he had to pay for animal transport to and from the auctions, a lot of money was spent, and nothing was sold. But there is another option.

Why should you use Beeswinkel?

There are about 300 feedlots in South Africa. Even if you are aware of 10 of them, there are still 290 that you don’t have access to. Every feedlot owner in the country is looking for specific animals in terms of race, weight or gender, with which he tries to make money and will send his trucks anywhere in the country, even to Namibia, to get that animal. Feedlot owners, however, do not want to drive too far for auctions to try and buy there, because they do not want to leave their feedlot unnecessarily.

If a feedlot owner believes that he has a fair chance of buying (or re-buying) a particular farmers’ animals at his price, he will participate in Beeswinkel’s buying process from the comfort of his own office. In other words, every farmer now gets full access to all buyers in the country at the same time. Thus, feedlot owners get the fair chance of buying any calf or lamb, regardless of where the owner is in the country, or where the calf or lamb is. Make sure to visit Beeswinkel today!

Beeswinkel is having mock online auctions on their website for your benefit from 3-13 January 2019. Beeswinkel will use this time to allow all registered users to participate on the live site by buying or selling animals daily at 2PM without any obligation to collect or deliver animals bought or sold.

This will be the perfect time for you to test the platform to see exactly how it works. Just register as a seller or buyer, upload your cattle on the website and see what happens during the mock auction. It is as easy as that. The first real auction will be held on 14 January.

For more, go to www.beeswinkel.co.za