Rostselmash to export 400 combines, tractors to Africa in next five years

ST. PETERSBURG. July 27 (Interfax) - Rostselmash , Russia's leading farm machinery manufacturer, plans to export about 400 combines and tractors to African countries in the next five years, the CEO of the company and president of industry association Rosspetsmash, Konstantin Babkin said in a presentation at the Russia-Africa forum in St. Petersburg on Thursday.

The company currently exports machinery to eight African countries, the presentation said.

"But in the Soviet era, Rostselmash supplied hundreds of machines to dozens of countries on the African continent. We are gradually returning to the African market. And the number of countries to which we are supplying machines is growing," Babkin said at the forum, adding that the company believes "partnership should be long-term, oriented toward deep cooperation."

Rostselmash is not only supplying machinery to African partners, it is also teaching them to service it, he said.

"We have partners in four countries - Egypt, South Africa, Ethiopia and Algeria. We have trained dozens of engineers there who know our machinery inside and out, have visited our production facilities. The company's service centers operate according to a common standard throughout the world," Babkin said.

He said there is potential for cooperation with African countries because the region's market for farm machinery, foremost "large machines," has doubled in the past four years and its population is growing fast, which requires growth of food production.

Meanwhile, Russian farm machinery production is growing rapidly. "We doubled machinery production in the past four years. The sector enjoys the support of the government," Babkin said, adding that Russia has 70 companies that make various types of equipment for the agribusiness sector.