Proven Over Time: How Precision VRI Transformed Parilla Premium Potatoes

In 2011, Parilla Premium Potatoes installed its first Zimmatic Precision VRI system — and that initial investment paid for itself in a single crop. More than a decade later, the fleet has grown to over 70 pivots with Precision VRI.

We recently caught up with the Farm Operations Manager, Jaco Pauer, at the property based in the Mallee region of South Australia, to understand what benefits have been realised over time and what lessons have been learned.

With a fixed water license and no ability to purchase additional allocation, efficiency has always been critical. Over the years, Parilla has consistently achieved water savings of 28–35% using Precision VRI. That improvement effectively enables the business to grow around 30% more produce using the same water resource.

By combining EM38 soil mapping, elevation data, drone imagery and NDVI analysis, irrigation is tailored across multiple soil types along each pivot. The result is more precise water application, reduced inputs such as diesel and fertiliser, and improved crop quality, particularly in premium lines where skin finish directly impacts returns.

Today, with more than 70 systems connected through FieldNET, the focus has shifted from proving the technology to continually refining it.

Read the full case study to explore the long-term results and insights gained since that first installation.