Russian agricultural sector reduces purchases of agricultural equipment in 2022, in 2023 they could remain at same level - AgMin data

MOSCOW. Jan 30 (Interfax) - The Russian agricultural sector saw purchase of primary types of agricultural equipment decline in 2022, according to a ministry presentation.

Last year, according to preliminary data, 11,340 tractors were bought compared with 14,730 in 2021, 4,710 grain harvesters compared to 6,590 in the previous year and 550 forage harvesters compared with 620, respectively.

The growth in the fleet helped to reduce the load on machinery. Thus, the load per tractor in 2022 decreased to 189.6 hectares from 273 in 2021, per combine harvester - to 462.2 hectares from 515.2, and per forage harvester - to 876.8 hectares from 942.8 respectively.

According to the Agriculture Ministry, the list of agricultural equipment supplied via parallel imports was expanded in 2022, with customs duties zeroed out for the import of certain types of machinery and its components, in particular, sugar beet harvesters and sugar beet loaders. Moreover, 22 billion rubles were set aside for additional capitalization of Rosagroleasing and applications for 1.757 billion rubles have been approved under the company's program of granting loans to dealership centers for purchasing spare parts for agricultural machinery.

According to the presentation, the program for granting loans to dealer centers is being extended in 2023, with financing via Rusagroleasing funds envisaged at 2.5 billion rubles.

Furthermore, this year Rosagroleasing is planning to provide 6.2 billion rubles in subsidies from the federal budget for preferential leasing of agricultural equipment.

According to the presentation, the volume of tractor purchases in 2023 could amount to 11,030 units, grain harvesters - 4,700 units, and fodder harvesters - 500 units.

As a result, the total number of tractors in the Russian agricultural sector could increase to 430,600 this year from 426,400 in 2022, while the number of grain harvesters grows to 124,900 from 123,500. The number of forage harvesters will decrease to 15,400 from 15,600 units respectively.