Chinese-Built Tractors

Chinese-Built Tractors TRACTORS New Tractors 30-2-5 We've been hearing from a few subscribers lately who are annoyed with us for "promoting" Chinese-built tractors such as the "crate tractor" discussed on page 11 of this issue. I understand where they're coming from. But have you tried to buy a 100 percent U.S.-built car, truck, or tractor lately? It's not easy. Nearly all utility-sized tractors are built in Europe, Japan, Korea, India, or China, even if they have a "brand" name from a U.S. manufacturer. And many parts on tractors that are built in the U.S. come from overseas. China is reportedly in the process of building the largest tractor factories the world has ever seen. Like it or not, the world's going to be flooded with those less expensive machines. Similar to Japan in the 1950's and 60's, the quality is not yet up to the standards we're used to in the Western world. But most reports say the quality is rapidly improving. According to a recent story in the Des Moines Register, a 40-hp Foton tractor built in China sells for $10,900 while similar size machines from Deere and Case IH sell for as much as $23,000. That's a big enough difference to get anyone's attention. As a publication dealing with what's new in ag machinery, we feel we have to report on what's actually happening, not what we wish were happening.

To read the rest of this story, download this issue below or click here to register with your account number.