No-Till — the Road to Sustainable and Profitable Farming in Ukraine

What No-Till Is and Why It Matters

The Concept

No-Till means placing seed directly into a mulch layer of crop residues without ploughing. Soil structure stays intact, moisture is retained, and heavy machinery passes the field three to four times less often.

The Core Problems of Conventional Tillage

• Erosion and humus loss — up to 0.5 t/ha each year

• A “fuel hole” — 60–70 l of diesel per hectare for ploughing and secondary tillage

• Wheel-track compaction that blocks water infiltration

How No-Till Fixes Them

• A residue blanket cuts evaporation by 25–35 %.

• Earthworms and microbes raise organic matter by 0.1–0.15 % annually.

• ≈ 13–15 l diesel/ha and up to 35 machine-hours/100 ha are saved every season.

Financial Pay-off: Numbers That Persuade

Fuel and Depreciation Savings

At 55 ₴/l diesel that is ≈ 2 400 ₴/ha in fuel alone.

Fewer Inputs for Fertilizers and Crop Protection

• 15–20 kg N/ha remain in the 0–10 cm layer thanks to residue mineralisation.

• Fungicide passes fall as canopy microclimate stabilises.

• Localised starter placement means your UAN rate often drops by 10 %.

Extra Revenue Streams

• Carbon credits can earn up to 25 $/ha a year once sequestration is certified.

• Leading insurers already cut crop-policy premiums 4–6 % for No-Till farms.

The No-Till Opportunity in Ukraine

Climate Factors

• Steppe and Forest-Steppe now see 18 % more days above 30 °C; No-Till keeps moisture for critical growth stages.

• On Polissia’s light soils, the system prevents wheel-compaction and crusting.

Public and Market Support

• Since 2024 Ukrainian manufacturers qualify for a 25 % capital refund; Favorit is ISO 9001:2019 certified.

• Banks offer “green” loans at 5–6 % for equipment backed by carbon contracts.

Barriers and How to Beat Them

• Skilled-staff shortage — Favorit Academy webinars and on-farm internships close the gap.

• Weed flare-ups in years 1–2 — a smart rotation (e.g. oilseed rape → winter wheat → soybean) eliminates 70 % of pressure without extra herbicide.

Favorit Machinery Geared for No-Till

Mustang PRO — direct-seeding grain drill

• Differential No-Till discs Ø 420/380 mm slice residue cleanly.

• Up to 165 kg down-pressure secures seed-to-moisture contact in hard soils.

• A 0.8–500 kg/ha variator and 800/500 l hopper deliver pinpoint starter nutrients.

Why It Matters

Classic hoe openers “blow up” stubble and bare the soil. The Mustang PRO’s parallelogram section leaves the mulch intact — a cornerstone of true No-Till.

Venza 6 PRO — pneumatic precision planter

• Cardan drive beats chain plug-ups in heavy residue.

• 160 kg row-unit pressure keeps a consistent 4–8 cm depth.

• Dual HARDOX V-openers shape a clean seed furrow without mixing residue.

• Net maize gain: +0.6–0.8 t/ha ≈ 3 500 ₴/ha extra margin.

One Rotation, Two Seeders, Three Crops

1. Autumn: Mustang PRO drills winter wheat into sunflower stubble.

2. Spring: Venza 6 PRO plants maize into the wheat mulch.

3. Post-harvest: Mustang sows a quick mustard cover before frost.

Result — three crops in 12 months and roughly +15 % gross profit, zero plough passes.

Four-Step No-Till Launch Plan

Step 1 — Soil Audit

Analyse texture, pH, C:N; level deep ruts once with a chisel plough.

Step 2 — Rotation Upgrade

Bring in at least two cover crops and 30 % legumes; stubble burning is out.

Step 3 — Order Favorit Equipment

Use the 25 % refund and get turnkey field calibration from Favorit’s service crew.

Step 4 — Monitor and Adjust

Map residue cover, track KPIs (fuel, hours, yields, SOM) and refine yearly.

Conclusion

• No-Till is a hard-numbers business strategy — lower fuel, less erosion, stronger yields.

• Favorit delivers ready-to-run solutions with Mustang PRO and Venza 6 PRO, officially supported by Ukraine’s localisation refund.

• Early adopters will lead the coming carbon-credit market.

Ready to start? Call +38 (067) 545-55-44 or book an on-farm demo. Favorit — experience, expertise, trust.