A delegation of the Belarusian agriculture machinery manufacturers, with the head of the Novosibirsk office of the Belarusian embassy in Russia Igor Savko, made a business visit to Omsk. The guest had meetings with head of regional ministry of agriculture, suppliers and farmers and found out that farmer in Omsk region have demand for Belarusian agriculture machinery. The cooperation between Belarus and agricultural Omsk region in sphere of agricultural machinery established in times of USSR. Today Omsk farmers have in possession more than eight thousand of “Belarus” tractors. It constitutes 95 per cent of all the passing machines and more than a half of all the tractors. Moreover, Omsk farmers have 250 fodder choppers produced by Gomselmash production association — 42 per cent of the total number.
As far as grain harvesters are concerned, the situation is quite different. No one, in fact, has marketed Belarusian agricultural machinery at Siberian market. As the result, Omsk region almost completely turned to grain harvesters produced by Krasnoyarsk and Rostov machinery manufacturers. Although Belarusian harvesters are almost a million cheaper than Russian equivalents, to say nothing about imported machinery, it is not supplied to the region. Nevertheless, the Omsk Region Ministry of Agriculture is convinced that Belarusian tractors will hardly meet any competition.
“Belarus” is a very reliable machine capable of seven to ten year operation without serious servicing, states Vladimir Kovalenko, the head of agriculture and engineering and technical support office of the Ministry. This machinery had not been upgraded for a long time, though, and because of this, its depreciation is more than 80 per cent now. In addition to that, the producer itself had recently upgraded its tractors and introduced many new modifications. It means that for the northern part of the region, where agriculture is not so productive, we can purchase less powerful machinery from Belarusian manufacturers, for the southern part — more powerful tractors. I think that they will be in demand by our farmers.
In this instance, the interests of Omsk and Minsk business communities are similar.
— We consider Omsk farmers as partners with great potential, — remarked Alexander Amelkovich, Regional Sales Alternate Director of the Gomselmash production association.
Vladimir Kovalenko considers dealers’ service centers as principal condition for entering Omsk regional market. It is a matter of outmost importance that during the machinery operation, farmers would have no problems with maintenance, repairs, and spare parts. Aside that, according to specialists, Belarusians need to put more effort in marketing their products, organize seminars in the country, and make farmers familiar with Belarusian tractors, harvesters and their maintenance and servicing.
After hearing such recommendations, Belarusian machinery manufacturers did not let grass grow under their feet and concluded preliminary cooperation agreements with one of the major agriculture supply base in Omsk region.
Irina Trofilova
