The figures have yet to be firmed up but visitor numbers to last week’s Indian EIMA Agrimach machinery show are reportedly up by over 30% on the 32,000 that attended the last show two years ago in December 2013. Held at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute at Pusa, in New Delhi, the 270 exhibitors at the fourth edition of the international exhibition showed a wide range of tractors, combine harvesters, tillage equipment and components. With over 600,000 tractors sold every year, India is the world’s largest tractor market. One of the leading producers of agricultural commodities, India counts over 140 million hectares of farmland, and during 2013/2014 the country’s grain production increased by 3% to 265 million tonnes. This figure includes 96 million tonnes of wheat and 24 million tonnes maize grain, and with over 106 million tonnes, India is the second largest producer of rice after China. However, yields per hectare are often just half of that obtained in other countries. Uncertain weather patterns do not help, and many believe that a more consistent use of mechanisation may hold the key to increase production levels. The show was jointly organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Federation (FICCI) and the Italian Federation of Agricultural Machinery Manufacturers (FederUnacoma), which also organises the Italian EIMA International machinery show. The Italian agricultural machinery sector continues to develop commercial relations with India, which is the crossroads for trade between Asian countries, the Middle and the Far East and Africa. CNH, Same Deutz Fahr, Maschio Gaspardo, Sicma, Lombardini and Falc already have manufacturing facilities in India, and 33 of the exhibitors at EIMA Agrimach came from Italy.
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