Escorts brings Ferrari tractors as CBUs to India

Pune, February 20, 2013: Farm equipment manufacturer Escorts Ltd has launched two premium tractors for the Indian market -- a 26hp Ferrari tractor suited for speciality farming (priced at Rs 8 lakh) and a 60hp multipurpose tractor (Rs 7.4 lakh) under its Farmtrac brand of hi-end tractors.

Shenu Agarwal, head, marketing, Escorts, told Autocar Professional that the company has entered into a long-term association with BCS S.p.A, an Italy-based manufacturer of the premium Ferrari tractors wherein the small tractors are imported and sold as completely built units (CBUs). Available with immediate effect, these 26hp tractors (model name: Ferarri K30 RS) are aimed at the growing farming applications at grape vineyards, fruit orchards, poultry and dairy farming, glasshouses and nurseries, micro farming and lawn maintenance.

According to Nikhil Nanda, joint managing director, Escorts Ferrari brings a bunch of first-time technologies in the tractors in India such as all four equal-sized wheels, all-time four-wheel-drive system, oscillating chassis system, front engine mounting for super-low turning radius and others. “To begin with, we are supplying these imported tractors to grape farmers in Nashik, Maharashtra. We plan to target select belts in India such as Maharashtra, Bangalore and Punjab,” he revealed. The company plans to test the waters for the imported speciality tractors in India and has long-term plans to bring the costs down in the future which may include CKD operations and increased localisation.

Aiming for the leadership position in the hi-end tractor segment, the company is working to upgrade its Farmtrac series of tractors which sells tractor models ranging between 45hp to 65hp. According to Agarwal, the multipurpose 60hp model is the bestseller with sales of around 15,000 units per year. The newly launched 60hp model offers an all-new operator station which includes digital instrument cluster, suspended clutch and brake pedals, comfortable suspension seating system and other styling features such as LED lamps, stylish fenders and matt paint finish.

The Farmtrac executive series (which also includes 45hp, 50hp models besides the 60hp model) will be available for booking this month onwards. In the hi-end tractor segment, John Deere is the direct competitor for Escorts. Escorts has an annual production capacity of 85,000- 90,000 tractors and currently sells around 65,000 units per year. According to Agarwal, Escorts’ tractor manufacturing facility in Faridabad is world’s largest under a single roof. He told Autocar Professional that the company is undertaking efficiency improvement initiatives at its facility which will involve restructuring of the layout, increasing automation and better space utilisation which will result into boosting the production capacity upto 120,000 units per year. He, however, did not disclose the investments earmarked for the said upgrade.

AMIT PANDAY