Ukraine Starts Joint Combine Harvester Production with Germany

KYIV, Ukraine, April 22, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

This year Ukraine will launch a line of high-performing harvesting combines Tucano-440 jointly with the German company CLAAS. The combines will be produced at the OOO NPP Kherson Machine-Building Plant in southern Ukraine. CLAAS representative Jan-Hendrik Mohr stated that the jointly produced machinery would be used in Ukraine by the end of this year.

The parties have yet to agree on the production volume and model range, while the necessary components are to be shipped to Ukraine shortly. Most of the machinery will be sold to Ukrainian agricultural producers.

At present, Ukrainian agriculture doesn't have enough combines and tractors, which results in losing a substantial amount of crop. Due to the equipment shortage Ukraine loses nearly 5 million of grain annually, reported Ukraine's agricultural minister Mykola Prysyazhnyuk.

There are 40 manufacturing plants in Ukraine that produce agricultural machinery, according to the Prime Minister of Ukraine Mykola Azarov. The Ukrainian government will help renew thousands of combine harvesters, sowing equipment, and tractors in the agricultural sector. Development of agricultural machinery construction is one of the priority tasks of Ukrainian agriculture, according to the State Program of Economy Activation (SPEA) in 2013-2014.

The program stipulates that the government facilitates the lease of agricultural machinery for Ukrainian agricultural producers. The state budget will provide nearly USD 21 million for the project. The money will help producers buy more than 4,000 machines in 2013.

SPEA is to stimulate the domestic production and promote import substitution in all areas including agriculture and machine building. Thus, in April 2013, Ukrainian state machine building company Yuzhmash signed a cooperation agreement with Chinese companies CITIC International Contracting Co., Ltd. and YTO International, Ltd. regarding the joint construction of tractors YTO-PMZ and their supply to Ukraine. YTO tractors will have a wide model range, varying in capacity between 17 and 200 hp. They will be used to mechanise labor-consuming agricultural work. According to the Ukrainian Prime Minister, Ukraine requires about 400,000 tractors, reported Ukrainian News.

Presently, Ukraine is one of the world's top grain exporters. In 2012, Ukraine had a 12.9 percent share of the global corn market, 18.5 percent share - of the world barley market, and a 4.5 percent share of the wheat market.