LAHORE   -   After successfully marketing small tractors in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, SHIFENG, a leading Chinese agricultural machinery and automobile manufacturing company, is soon launching a range of small power tractors in Punjab, under the banner of DAILUDA & SHIFENG.

“We are already selling our small horsepower tractors in KP for the last seventeen years, which are successfully helping the small scale land-holders to meet their requirement of ploughing and harvesting. Now we have decided to explore the potential of the Punjab province market. It offers huge potential in the shape of small farmers who cannot afford the big tractors owing to the high prices,” said Rashid Mukhtar, a representative of Dailuda-Shifeng.

He was speaking to a selective gathering of stakeholders at the sidelines of the Punjab Agri-Expo 2019 arranged by the Punjab Agriculture Department (PAD) at the Lahore Expo Centre. Pakistan-China Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCJCCI) Vice Chairman Standing Committee on China Affairs, Yousaf Fa, PCJCCI Salah Uddin and a large number of other dignitaries were also present on this occasion.

Rashid Mukhtar said that the introduction of 25 HP to 35 HP small tractors in Punjab will be another reflection of continued and developing Pak-China cooperation. He said that since land-holdings are dividing as inheritance and now there are more small land-holders, affording a big tractor is not possible for them. “Price of our machine will be in their reach sufficient to meet all their agricultural needs,” he said and added that small tractors will also consume less diesel thus reducing the input cost of the growers.

Replying to a question, he said that their company also manufactures different agricultural implements supported by its small tractors but they are not marketing those as there are quite a number of good manufacturers in Punjab especially in Okara whose implements can be used with these tractors.

He said that their company also deals in diesel engines and three-wheelers while working on the introduction of electric cars also. He said that they have plans to introduce these electric cars in Pakistan too but prior to it charging stations of these vehicles have to be set up by the government. He said their vehicles can go up to 200 kilometres with one charge and there should be a charging station to re-power it.

To another query, he said that import is not a solution to introduce new gadgets to any market. Ultimately, one has to go towards manufacturing it locally and they plan to set up a facility in Pakistan too for its small tractors and other machinery. ‘We will take local vending industry and dealers on board, once we will finalize our program to go for manufacturing in Pakistan,’ he concluded.

Meanwhile, Punjab Agri Expo 2019 emerged as an opportunity to enhance agricultural export at International level said Zahid Saleem Gondal Special Secretary Agriculture Punjab while addressing the concluding session of the exhibition. Zahid Saleem Gondal Special Secretary Agriculture Punjab also distributed shields among foreign delegates, exporters, importers and officers of the Agriculture Department who burn their midnight oil to organize this mega event.