French machinery exports take off

Eastern European farm machinery purchases, many funded by government aid, are fuelling the growth of the French farm machinery industry.


“Many east European governments provide grant aid to help their farmers buy new tractors and the French machinery industry is increasingly seeing the benefits of those investments,” said Jean-Paul Papillon of machinery exporters’ association SYGMA.


Speaking at the SIMA Show, Paris, which ends today, Mr Papillon said: “French farm machinery exports increased to 6% last year to an estimated €2.2bn. Germany accounts for 20% of exports, and the UK and the USA about 10%. Although exports to Russia account for only 2% of total exports, they are showing particularly strong growth from a low base of €0.75bn in 1993.”


Machinery exports have increased every year for the past 13 years and have doubled in the past 10 years, he added.


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