Last autumn, Russian farming machinery manufacturer Rostselmash announced action in Udmurtian Republic, according to which enterprises that buy any combine produced by the company will get a bonus card for 3,000, 5,000 or 7,500 liters of diesel fuel (depending on the model).

Such support of farmers during rapid growth of fuel prices was very opportune for farmers. This was convinced by high activity of customers in off-season period of the action – 35 enterprises of the republic purchased 

New Holland switches to biodiesel While a number of engine and equipment manufacturers have approved the use of biodiesel, until now most had limited their approval to the relatively small B2 (2% biofuel, 98% petroleum diesel) or B5 (5% biofuel, 95% petroleum diesel) blends. But now ag equipment manufacturer New Holland, part of CNH Global, has approved the use of 20% biodiesel (B20) in all of its equipment using New Holland engines. According to the US National Biodiesel Board, New Holland is the first original equipment manufacturer 

600 Russian tractors for Uzbekistan During commercial and economical visit of Altai Territory (Russia) representatives to Uzbekistan, a contract was signed for supply of 600 Russian tractors. Totally, 1,200 agricultural tractors are planned to be produced for Uzbekistan in 2006. During the visit, representatives of OJSC Alttrak had meetings and negotiations with Uzbek enterprises. The meetings resulted in a contract with Uzbek company Uzprommashimpex foreseeing supply of 600 Altai tractors to Uzbekistan.

The business meeting 

Demand for Deere farming equipment has reduced It’s been a good first quarter for Deere and Company, despite fewer profits from selling farm equipment. The company released their earnings report Tuesday, with an 11 percent earnings increase.

John Deere’s agriculture division did post some losses in recent months, though. The equipment manufacturer reported sales that were down 6-percent from the previous quarter. Deere’s analysts acknowledge that sales will likely stay down this year, as farmers are hit with high input costs. 

Belarus reports growth in tractor output According to its Planning and Economic department, Minsk Tractor Works (Belarus) increased in 2005 its tractor output rate by 22%, 42.158 units compared to the preceeding year.

The product output volume in 2005 has grown by 28.3% and amounts to $616 mln.

35189 tractors were exported in 2005 ( 22.4% growth) with revenues of $446.4 mln (21.6% growth).

Minsk Traktor Works is one of the biggest in the world and the biggest in the ex-USSR tractor manufacturer. At the