Romania: Agricultural Machinery & Equipment Market Research Report Page 1 of 9
Romania: Agricultural Machinery and Equipment Market Research Report
Gabriel Popescu Date (08/2011)
Summary This report describes the market for agricultural equipment and machinery within the context of Romania’s agriculture sector. American manufacturers of agricultural equipment and machinery will find demand growing in the Romanian market, and a limited, but growing, number of buyers. Romania’s European Union - EU membership has given it access to European equipment free of import duties. In comparison to other markets, the lack of local, Romanian manufacturers as competition leaves an open flank for U.S. suppliers. U.S. equipment makers such as AGCO, CNH, GSI, Hog Slat, John Deere, SCAFCO, Smithfield, Toro, Valmont, etc. already have a sales presence in Romania, and in a few cases manufacturing. Critical issues facing Romania’s agricultural sector are low productivity, highly fragmented, even atomized, land holdings, and difficulties in financing the mechanization, inputs, and land consolidation necessary for growth. CS Romania is working to increase the use of the services of the U.S. Export – Import Bank to support imports of U.S. farm equipment. American farm equipment is eligible for purchase under the EU’s grant programs for encouraging rural development.
Market Demand Overview U.S. manufacturers and exporters of agricultural equipment have good prospects in Romania, in both the short and long term. However, there are several structural issues that affect demand for this equipment. Romania's highly fragmented agricultural land ownership prevents the accumulation of income and profits on a scale that enables the investments necessary to increase productivity.
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Romania: Agricultural Machinery & Equipment Market Research Report Page 2 of 9 While Romania has an abundance of rich soil, the predominance of subsistence farms means that the country has the lowest amount of arable land per holding. BCR Research reports that the top 50 agricultural producers account for only 4.5% of the arable land, or 430,000 hectares (1.06 million acres). Some small commercial farms are realizing that their mutual self interest can be advanced through voluntarily forming associations or co-ops in order to aggregate production and marketing. However, the memory of enforced collectives and rampant cheating by co-ops in the communist days still presents an obstacle for many. This imbalance means that a relatively few large farms coexist with many small ones, and this fact influences the competitiveness of Romanian agriculture as shown in the next chart by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
U.S. manufacturers of agricultural equipment and machinery will find strong demand in the Romanian market, but a limited, if growing, number of buyers. As the chart above shows, farms with more than 300 hectares make up a very small proportion of Romania’s farms. However, this relatively small group of commercial farmers (at the far right of the chart) are investing in order to increase productivity, and have become more adept at using the various financing programs of the EU as well as U.S. EXIM Bank’s financing, insurance and guarantee tools.
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Romania: Agricultural Machinery & Equipment Market Research Report Page 3 of 9
As the chart above shows, productivity gains in agriculture have been erratic. To be economically viable in Romania, a farm must be considerably larger than in many European countries. A representative of an Austrian trading company active in Romania's farm machinery and equipment market noted that in Austria, a 40-acre farm is viable and has a tractor; whereas in Romania, a 250-acre farm is at the lower end of the commercially viable scale. This observation does not describe poor quality soils, but lagging productivity of the land due to a lack of modern farming equipment, technologies and practices. Discounted land prices, good quality soil, low labor costs, and the potential for large productivity gains through the application of more intensive methods form an interesting opportunity for well-capitalized foreign investors. Agricultural Machinery and Equipment Demand Romania’s EU membership has given it access to European equipment free of import duties. Under communism, Romania had several state-owned companies that manufactured agricultural machinery and farm implements. Some were privatized more or less successfully, but most have not survived exposure to EU competition. In comparison to other markets, this lack of local competition leaves an open flank for U.S. suppliers of tractors and harvesting equipment, especially those companies that are already present in the Romanian market and have spare parts and service centers. Examples of these include AGCO, CNH, and John Deere. Romania’s main crops -- corn, wheat, and sunflowers -- account for about 15 million acres of farmland. In addition, the country's fertile soils and varied topography support forestry, pasture and rangeland, orchards, vegetables, and vineyards. These offer opportunities for grain storage silos and grain handling equipment, irrigation equipment, greenhouses, and agricultural inputs such as fertilizers and feed supplements. In the silo equipment market, U.S. suppliers GSI and SCAFCO have developed silo construction projects through their local authorized dealers. The Romanian demand for grain storage silos is higher year by year as a result of the persistent lack of adequate storage, and recent strong harvests due to favorable conditions and marginal increases in productivity.
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Discounted land prices, good quality soil, low labor costs, and the potential for large productivity gains through the application of more intensive methods form an interesting opportunity for well-capitalized foreign investors.
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Romania: Agricultural Machinery & Equipment Market Research Report Page 4 of 9 In its communist period, Romania had a large, national network of irrigation canals. However, this infrastructure has long since fallen victim to neglect, pilferage, and deterioration. Almost none of the network has been modernized, a small amount of it is in use, and dramatically changed patterns of land ownership make some portions irrelevant. However, demand for irrigation remains large and a key to enhanced land productivity. In May of 2011, the Romanian Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development announced construction of a new 190 kilometer (114 mile) irrigation canal to bring water to approximately 500,000 hectares of farm land. The canal would pass through the Counties of Buzău, Brăila, Vrancea, Ialomița and Călărași, drawing most of its water from the Danube. The cost of the “Siret-Baragan Canal” is estimated at $5 billion, which the Romanian Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development plans to finance through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) with investors. At least two U.S. suppliers of irrigation systems are active in the market. Valmont sells through a local, authorized dealer, and in 2011 the Toro Company began construction of a factory in Romania to manufacture micro-irrigation systems. Toro expects production from its Romanian plant to serve the Central and East European region. Many of the applications for Toro’s equipment, including vineyards, fruit orchards, and vegetable growing are prevalent across the region and poised for growth in Romania. The livestock equipment market has also seen U.S. investment from companies Hog Slat and Smithfield. These two companies’ efforts in Romania are concentrated in swine industry. Smithfield Ferme, a whollyowned subsidiary of Smithfield Foods, has operated integrated pig production in Romania since 2004. North Carolina-based Hog Slat opened a slat manufacturing facility in Romania in 2006. Originally, Hog Slat entered the market to work with Smithfield Foods. Through the efforts of not only Hog Slat Romania, but also Hog Slat, Inc., the investor’s customer base has been expanded to include pork producers, small and large, throughout the European market.
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Romania: Agricultural Machinery & Equipment Market Research Report Page 5 of 9
Existing Inventory of Tractors Based on the last centralized inventory of imported agricultural machinery in December 2010, the Romanian Association of Tractors & Agricultural Machinery – PACTMAR and the Romanian Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development reported the following numbers of tractors and combines: The existing inventory is classified by tractors’ engine size (in horsepower), and the further divided into two categories: New and Second Hand / Used Tractors: Horsepower
Less Than 45 Hp
New / Used
New
Used
New
Used
New
Used
New
Used
New
Used
New
Used
New
Used
TRACTORS TOTAL
1,401
2,414
295
2,429
869
1,306
1,615
1,164
1,454
1,119
634
266
6,268
8,698
14,966
395
588
64
1,099
233
304
356
243
244
261
133
62
1,425
2,557
3,982
21
179
47
274
138
192
350
238
366
260
194
51
1,116
1,194
2,310
817
252
8
16
0
15
11
4
3
4
0
0
839
291
1,130
48
324
45
145
46
116
90
52
183
31
28
9
440
677
1,117
20
213
13
233
53
99
53
104
54
88
11
16
204
753
957
27
391
24
165
31
109
27
61
19
50
5
9
133
785
918
3
29
9
25
74
44
163
62
70
66
77
35
396
261
657
12
129
4
136
15
75
33
44
75
62
30
19
169
465
634
10
4
18
30
62
39
161
81
104
65
26
14
381
233
614
4
24
1
58
6
74
51
66
57
69
44
18
163
309
472
0
18
13
38
21
33
57
29
79
18
35
4
205
140
345
2
11
3
29
46
42
119
26
37
14
4
5
211
127
338
2
39
11
62
43
30
22
25
32
31
15
0
125
187
312
4
66
5
61
7
41
17
36
11
31
15
10
59
245
304
3
60
10
1
36
19
19
15
25
10
0
2
93
107
200
0
53
0
5
3
32
6
34
27
28
6
4
42
156
198
11
6
14
5
44
15
19
21
28
18
1
0
117
65
182
0
23
1
9
5
17
26
14
35
6
9
5
76
74
150
22
5
5
38
6
10
35
9
5
7
1
3
74
72
146
out of which Code / Brand: 6999 Other Brands 6007 JOHN DEERE 6004 HEBEI (import from China) 6001 DEUTZ FAHR 6006 MASSEY FERGUSON 6005 FIAT 6010 CASE INTERNATIONAL 6003 STEYER 6015 NEW HOLLAND 6009 FENDT 6017 CLAAS 6018 BELARUS 6002 LAMBORGHINI 6011 FORD 6014 SAME 6008 RENAULT 6021 LANDINI 6020 VALTRA 6016 ZETOR
46 - 60 Hp
61 - 80 Hp
81 - 120 Hp
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121 - 200 Hp
201 - 360 Hp
TOTAL
TOTAL
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Romania: Agricultural Machinery & Equipment Market Research Report Page 6 of 9 The following table presents the equivalent data for combines reported by the Romanian Association of Tractors and Agricultural Machinery – PACTMAR and the Ministry of Agriculture in December 2010: Inventory classified by power of combines’ engine size (in horsepower) and new and used combines: Horsepower
Less Than 45 Hp
New / Used
New
Used
New
Used
New
Used
New
65
1,823
275
2,943
997
2,086
30
888
60
1279
291
18
213
97
408
3
77
36
9
212
1
46 - 100 Hp
101-183 Hp
184-220 Hp
221-360 Hp
TOTAL
Used
New
Used
1,127
958
623
921
384
366
215
305
154
169
157
220
53
441
137
271
12
327
0
27
2
0
5
2
TOTAL
New
Used
191
3,087
8,001
11,088
180
58
945
3,512
4,457
154
113
29
597
1,109
1,706
175
135
99
25
470
626
1,096
228
116
90
49
38
364
1,009
1,373
46
80
122
43
9
7
190
728
918
82
36
76
66
65
40
13
144
263
407
2
53
25
55
31
15
104
7
162
135
297
45
8
65
2
30
38
22
23
5
73
167
240
0
2
3
32
66
90
9
25
2
8
80
157
237
0
19
1
41
3
45
15
23
0
0
19
128
147
0
46
0
26
4
27
0
20
0
0
4
119
123
0
15
0
5
5
5
12
0
2
0
19
25
44
0
3
0
11
1
2
1
0
0
1
2
17
19
2
0
1
3
1
2
3
0
2
0
9
5
14
0
0
0
1
8
0
1
0
0
0
9
1
10
COMBINES TOTAL out of each: Code / Brand 7002 CLAAS 7003 JOHN DEERE 7009 NEW HOLLAND 7999 Other Brands 7001 MASSEY FERGUSON 7008 CASE INTERNATIONAL 7011 FIAT-LAVERDA 7007 DEUTZ FAHR 7017 FORTSCHRITT 7004 FORD 7006 EPPLE 7010 NIVA 7015 SAMPO 7020 FIAT AGRI 7012 COMBINES (Imported from Ukraine)
Best Prospects CS Romania believes that agricultural machinery including tractors and harvesting equipment such as combines have excellent prospects for growth. There are additional opportunities in silos, grain handling equipment, agricultural inputs such as fertilizers, and livestock equipment for poultry, swine and cattle. Romania’s vegetable production (including greenhouses), vineyards, and stone fruit are worth exploring. Dutch and Israeli companies maintain a strong presence in greenhouse technology. More than 70% of this equipment has exceeded its normal functioning period and is fully depreciated. Equipment is used longer and with less attention to preventative maintenance. One tractor normally works 55 hectares of farming land, and a combine some 100 hectares. In the EU, the average is 13 hectares for a tractor and 79 hectares for a combine.
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Romania: Agricultural Machinery & Equipment Market Research Report Page 7 of 9 For the reasons mentioned earlier, the Romanian market has a ratio of tractors per hectare that is only one-third of the EU average (one tractor per 17 hectares). According to the Romanian association APIMAR (Romanian Association of Producers and Importers of Agricultural Machinery), in order to reach the European average concentration of tractors, the Romanian market would need to put into operation 30,000 tractors per year for more than a decade. Based on the Romanian "National Strategy for Sustainable Development of Agriculture and the Food Industry" and to industry experts, if the country’s farmlands were exploited with the intensity of the rest of the EU, Romania would need approximately 300,000 tractors, producing a bill of demand worth approximately $14 billion.
The Shape of Market Demand In post-Communist Romania, privatization meant breaking up huge state-run farms, but this process often resulted in extremely fragmented land ownership. It created over four million household farms, each with only a few acres. Unfortunately, the consolidation of small holdings into larger parcels is a slow and ongoing process. A small but significant nucleus of large farms launched the recovery of the agricultural machinery and equipment sector, as the management of these farms sought improved efficiency and productivity. Yet these "large" farms themselves vary in size from a few hundred acres to over 100,000 acres. Top 50 farming businesses manage USD 1.5 billion's worth of land covering an arable surface of around 1.06 million acres or 4.5% of the total arable Romanian land of 23.23 million acres, according to the latest data released by the Agency for Payments and Interventions in Agriculture – APIA in 2008. The top 20 farms, with respective county name (in parentheses), acreage, and investors, are listed below: TOP 20 ROMANIAN FARMS SURFACE (ACRES) 137,454 63,122 55,541 54,654 33,013 27,757
Nr.
AGRICULTURAL FARM
1 2 3 4 5 6
S.C. TCE 3 BRAZI S.R.L. (NEAMT) S.C. COMCEREAL S.A. (VASLUI) S.C. AGROCEREAL CARANI S.R.L. (TIMIS) S.C. INTERAGRO S.A. (BUCURESTI) A.J.C.D.C.T.C. BARAGANUL (IALOMITA) S.C. INTERCEREAL S.A. MOVILA (IALOMITA)
7
S.C. MARIA TRADING S.R.L. (CONSTANTA)
26,553
EL-KHALIL JIHAD (LIBAN) - 50%
8 9 10
S.C. ZIMBRUL S.A. (SUCEAVA) S.C. DELTA-ROM AGRICULTURE S.R.L. S.C. AGROCOMPLEX BARLAD S.A. (VASLUI)
26,553 24,544 24,493
GEORGE SIMION - 46% FRI-EL GREEN POWER (ITLY) - 95% ADRIAN PORUMBOIU
11
S.C. AGRO CHIRNOGI S.A. (CALARASI)
24,334
MARIA GROUP - 99%
12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
S.C. WESTGRAIN S.R.L. (BIHOR) S.C. CERVINA S.A. (DOLJ) S.C. A&S INTERNATIONAL 2000 (ARAD) S.C. EMILIANA WEST ROM S.R.L. (TIMIS) S.C. OLTYRE S.A. (DOLJ) S.C. AGRODELTA SIREASA S.A. (TULCEA) S.C. RE-AGRO FALCIU SA (VASLUI) S.C. AGRICOM BORCEA S.A. (CALARASI) S.C. AGROFAM PROD S.R.L. (IALOMITA)
24,144 23,689 23,198 21,952 21,008 20,233 17,937 17,122 17,107
MICULA BROTHERS MIHAI ANGHEL ADRIAN ALEXANDRU - 97% LUCIANO MARTINI (ITALY) - 95% MIHAI ANGHEL TRAIAN RECE - 79% ADRIAN PORUMBOIU ALISA FARMING (CYPRUS) - 99% STEFAN POIENARU - 90%
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MAJORITY STOCKHOLDERS CULITA TARATA - 90% ADRIAN PORUMBOIU ATON GMBH (GERMANY) IOAN NICULAE - 75% N/A ASIROM - 99%
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Romania: Agricultural Machinery & Equipment Market Research Report Page 8 of 9
Market Entry, Issues and Obstacles There are no market entry obstacles specific to Romania. The country joined the European Union in January 2007, and issues of standards, safety, etc. are aligned with the EU norms. The difficulty of farms in obtaining financing remains a perennial challenge. Despite an abundance of Romanian and foreign banks, in the current environment only a few are comfortable with agricultural lending because of the risk profile. Vendor financing has attempted to fill the gap in various forms of credit. The European Union and Romania’s Ministry of Agriculture are important sources of finance or grant assistance for Romanian farmers, to the extent that sometimes investment decisions are based on what financial support is available rather than what equipment and investments are needed. The European Union has provided million of dollars in grants annually to rural businesses, including farms, for investment in agricultural machinery and equipment, manufacturing facilities, and other agricultural purposes. This has been an important source of financing and an important driver of sales for equipment dealers. Between 2007 and 2013, a total of around USD 40 billion from the EU will be allocated to Romania in structural and cohesion funds and American companies can participate directly in projects funded by the EU or in partnership with a company from an EU member country. A substantial percentage of this money (more than USD 11 billion) is destined for agriculture within the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development. Farmers access this money by submitting eligible projects to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Agency for Payments and Interventions in Agriculture, in accordance with the National Program for Rural Development. The U.S. Export-Import Bank is also an important tool available to American exporters of agricultural machinery and equipment. Eximbank offers its credit insurance, loan guarantees and financing on the Romanian market and has good working relationships with several local Romanian and European banks.
Trade Events The U.S. Commercial Service in Romania invites any American company involved in agribusiness, machinery or equipment to contact us for more information about the following Romanian agricultural trade show in the autumn 2011. CS Romania plans to lead delegations of Romanian farmers and importers to the following U.S.-based trade show as well. September 15-17, 2011: BIG IRON FARM SHOW, 31st Edition, Red River Valley Fairgrounds, West Fargo, North Dakota, USA, www.bigironfarmshow.com September 29 - October 2, 2011: AGRALIM - Farmers and Food Industry Fair, 5th Edition, Expo Centre Iasi – Moldova, Iasi County, Romania, www.expoagralim.ro October 19-23, 2011: INDAGRA - International Fair for Agriculture, Gardening, Winery & Animal Breeding, 16th Edition, ROMEXPO Exhibition Center, Bucharest, ROMANIA, www.indagra.ro January 23-27, 2012: INTERNATIONAL POULTRY EXPO, Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, Georgia, USA, www.ipeweek12.org February 14-16, 2012: WORLD AG EXPO, 45th Edition, International Agri-Center, Tulare, California, www.worldagexpo.com
Resources & Key Contacts ¾ ¾
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, www.madr.ro U.S. Export – Import Bank, www.exim.gov
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Romania: Agricultural Machinery & Equipment Market Research Report Page 9 of 9 ¾ ¾ ¾
Banca Comerciala Romana – BCR, www.bcr.ro Romanian Association of Producers and Importers of Agricultural Machinery – APIMAR, www.apimar.eu Romanian Association of Tractors and Agricultural Machinery – PACTMAR
For More Information The U.S. Commercial Service in Bucharest, Romania can be contacted via e-mail at:
[email protected]; Phone: +40 21 200 3312; Fax: +40 316 0690; or visit our website: www.buyusa.gov/romania
The U.S. Commercial Service — Your Global Business Partner With its network of offices across the United States and in more than 80 countries, the U.S. Commercial Service of the U.S. Department of Commerce utilizes its global presence and international marketing expertise to help U.S. companies sell their products and services worldwide. Locate the U.S. Commercial Service trade specialist in the U.S. nearest you by visiting www.export.gov Disclaimer: The information provided in this report is intended to be of assistance to U.S. exporters. While we make every effort to ensure its accuracy, neither the United States government nor any of its employees make any representation as to the accuracy or completeness of information in this or any other United States government document. Readers are advised to independently verify any information prior to reliance thereon. The information provided in this report does not constitute legal advice. International copyright, U.S. Department of Commerce, 2010. All rights reserved outside of the United States.
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