The purchase of basic types of agricultural machinery is 3-5% of the available, whereas for the normal reproduction of the machine and tractor fleet, 8-12% must be purchased annually, said the head of the department of the market for material and technical resources of the National Research Center "Institute of Agrarian Economics". Alexander Zakharchuk. The scientist stressed that in Ukraine there is a large pent-up demand for agricultural equipment.
At the same time, the activity of agricultural holdings, which in 2015 bought more agricultural equipment, in 2016 decreased slightly. Nowadays, equipment is mainly purchased by farms with a land bank from 4,000 to 10,000 hectares. Small farms are also active, looking for an alternative to domestic technology through the import market, the expert said. According to scientists of the Institute of Agrarian Economics, Ukrainian farmers are provided with basic types of agricultural machinery only by 50%.
A particularly critical situation has arisen with tractors, which are an integral part of most production processes in crop production. Tractor equipment in Ukrainian farms has worked its time and requires replacement. As of 2016, according to various estimates, more than 75% of tractors were outside of the amortization and economically viable life. The import of foreign agricultural equipment in Ukraine continues to grow. According to customs statistics, if for the whole 2015 tractors were delivered for 229.9 million dollars, then for nine months of 2016 - for 424.7 million dollars, combines - for 106,600,000 dollars and 218,300,000 dollars, respectively, Alexander Zakharchuk noted.