The popular power output for new tractors sold in Africa is from 60 to about 130hp, a power range that covers many of the specialist fruit and vineyard models as well as the general purpose agricultural tractors
This is also the power sector covered by the Global Series tractor range announced recently by Massey Ferguson.
The new tractors are based on a clean-sheet design aimed at meeting the growing demand for a simple workhorse tractor for markets throughout the world.
Production will be at factories in China, Brazil and Turkey, which will be operated by Massey Ferguson and will meet the same engineering standards as the existing MF factories in Europe and the United States.
AGCO, the Massey Ferguson parent company, is investing US$350mn in the Global Series tractor project, and the complete range will be phased in over a five-year period starting last year when the 82hp MF4708 tractor was announced.
The 4708 tractor is designed mainly for Africa and production of additional Global Series models started earlier this year at a new Massey Ferguson factory in China.
The complete range will include semi-platform and full cab versions with mechanical gearbox type transmissions. Two and four-wheel drive versions will be available and the power units will be from the existing AGCO range with mechanically operated controls.
Another of the new arrivals in the under-100hp sector last year was the T3F series from New Holland, a range of tractors designed for vineyards, fruit and intensive vegetable and ornamental crop production.
There are four models, all powered by three-cylinder FPT engines covering the 50 to 72hp sector.
The tractors are compact, with the top models weighing only 2.2 tonnes with an overall width of 1.35 metres, and the turning radius is only 3.4 metres to offer good maneuverability.
The maximum lift capacity is 2277kg and the transmission options are a 12F/12R gearbox or a 20F/20R version including creeper gears.
To read more, see the new May/June edition of African Farming and Food Processing.
Mike Williams
