ASSOCIATION
designed by Pininfarina, created in collaboration with this famous design company. The appearance of the new model caught the interest of visitors and its makers decided to apply the new design to all Zetor types in the near future. The quality of Czech products is comparable with European standards. This is attested by the fact that a large number of machines developed and made in Czech factories can be seen in the fields of many European countries flying the flags of the Czech manufacturers´ partners in those countries for commercial reasons. Not every Czech firm is prepared to accept this practice, but such sales have become a general trend, and if such collaboration gives work to Czech hands and helps get the manufacturers to foreign markets, there can be no objection to it. The main Czech machinery import items are those which are not manufactured in this country, such as higher performance tractors (over 120 kW), combine harvesters and presses. Regrettably, one such machine is also the harvester cutter machine which we used to make and even export, but its manufacture has been ended. The same applies to sugar beet harvesters, where, too, we are fully dependent on import. First position among tractors sold on the Czech market over the past five years is held by the domestic Zetor tractor (16.6 %),. Among imported tractors the leading positions are occupied by John Deere (18.7 %), New Holland (16.6 %), and Case IH (10.3 %). As regards combine harvester imports, the dominant makes are Claas with a share of 33 %, New Holland (31 %), and the remain-
ing more than one-third supplied by John Deere (17 %) and Massey Ferguson (10 %).
TRADE FAIRS AND
EXHIBITIONS IN THE CR Czech manufacturers and large importers closely collaborate with the organisers of two most important domestic exhibitions of agricultural machinery, BVV Trade Fairs Brno and Výstaviště České Budějovice a.s. Another fair meeting the strictest comparative criteria is the international trade fair trio TECHAGRO / SILVA REGINA /BIOMASS in Brno, which has gained a high international renown and ranks closely after two most important international events, SIMA fair in Paris and AGRITECHNICA Hannover. Its initiator in 1994 was A.ZeT Association, which is one of the co-organisers of the fair and participates in shaping the concept of the fair and its accompanying programmes. Czech firms traditionally occupy an important part of the exhibition ground. In the past few years TECHAGRO has been the most successful project of all the fairs held in the Czech Republic. The latest fair once again overcame all records: nearly 800 exhibitors from 40 countries displayed their products at the fair on an area of 78 000 sq m and 110 000 visitors came to see them. Next year the fair will take place in Brno from April 8 to 12.
PRESENTATION IN OTHER
COUNTRIES The production potential of Czech agricultural engineering exceeds the absorption capacity of the domestic market. That is why exports are so important for the
sector, and this is where A.ZeT is playing a significant role. One of its main projects is the promotion of Czech exports, and participation in the SIMA fair in Paris and AGRITECHNICA in Hannover, which are its most important foreign undertakings. Both these exhibitions are highly important not only in the European context, but also worldwide. They are held regularly in odd years and Czech firms have never failed to attend them since 1995. In 2017, 25 Czech manufacturing firms will attend the AGRITECHNICA fair in Hannover in November and the Czech agri engineering industry will be presented there in the form of official Czech participation guaranteed by the Ministry of Industry and Trade. In the past, the Association organised a joint participation of Czech firms also in Kiev (Ukraine), Herning (Denmark) and Poznan (Poland), and in the AGROSALON in Moscow and at EXPO AGRO in Argentina (twice). Manufacturers of small agricultural machinery display their products regularly at the GaLaBau fair in Nuremberg. For foreign presentations it is important that at international agricultural fairs Czech firms can rely on the support of the Ministry of Agriculture, and representatives of Czech firms have the opportunity to participate in business missions led by officials of the Ministry of Agriculture. Last year, for example, they had the opportunity to present Czech agricultural industry in Tanzania, Zambia, Nigeria, Senegal and China; this year Czech businessmen participated in a business mission to Ghana and Ethiopia. The concerted approach of suppliers of agricultural and food processing technolo-
Foreign trade – manufacture of forestry and agricultural machines (in CZK million) year
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
export
CZK million
5 388
6 058
6 194
6 947
4 169
3 695
5 110
5 429
6 288
7 493
8 562
import
CZK million
5 708
8 108
6 183
4 031
3 204
4 558
6 107
6 870
5 472
7 741
8 933
year
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
export
CZK million
9 432
11 091
12 116
8 651
9 686
11 830
14 612
15 001
15 198
16 575
16 706
import
CZK million
10 586
13 280
14 393
9 684
9 711
13 600
15 285
15 197
17 059
18 521
15 880
Data in CZK million; EUR 1 = CZK 27.00 Source: Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic
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