Like most farm kit, the cost of sprayers is on an upward curve, and this is partly driven by the increasing sophistication of the technology on board.
While this tech can increase application quality, it doesn’t always increase output, which is limited by appropriate speed, boom width and downtime spent filling and cleaning or on the road.
See also: How a £77 black box could bring spot spraying to the masses
If extra output is required – when taking on more land, for example – many are tempted to buy an additional sprayer to cover the ground at the right time, particularly in seasons where spray windows are limited.
However, with increasing scrutiny being placed on fixed costs, adding another depreciating asset to the machinery fleet isn’t always the best option.
Instead, spending anywhere between a few thousand and £50,000, depending on complexity, growers can increase output of a single machine to an extent where another sprayer might not be needed.