Kilimo Kwanza initiative has boosted the sales of tractors in the country, with a single Indian manufacturer selling over 800 pieces in less than three years.
India’s Escorts, agriculture machinery producers, sold hundreds of Farmtrac and Powertrac tractors through its country’s representative—Noble Motors. Noble Motors Senior Sales Officers, Agriculture Machinery Division, Peter Likecha said in Dar es Salaam yesterday that the orders for the two tractor models were escalating.
“Actually, the tractors you see here are sold already,” Mr Likecha said, adding “Most of our tractors now we are selling through a word of mouth travelling among farmers,” said the sale executive during the ongoing India Show at Mwalimu Nyerere Fair Grounds in Dar es Salaam.
He said as a result of power problems in rural areas, the manufacturer has equipped a 41 horse power Farmtrac 439 with an inverter that stores up to 24 hrs of electricity. The electricity is generated while the tractor is on field and used when the engine is off. The power is enough to light up several bulbs and charge mobile phones.
“The tractors are consuming merely three litres of diesel per one to plough one hectare and quarter…this plus low maintenance costs woos farmers to rely on the tractor,” Mr Likecha said. The tractors price tag is 35m/- plus a plough accompanied by a year warrant or 1000 working hours.
Noble Motors also is selling Chinese Foton-Europad tractors that are equipped by UK’s Perkin engine and so far about 600 units have been sold in the country. The Farmtrac brand was created by the Escort Group of India for their tractors.
Prior to the use of the Farmtrac brand, Escorts built tractors for Ford. In addition to tractors, Noble Motors offers spare parts and a range of agricultural implements such as Disc Plough, Lugged wheels, Gladiator, Rotary Tiller, Disc Harrow and Tipping trailer.
Source Tanzania Daily News