Mahindra Tractors Emerging as a Major Player in U.S.

Boone: India's Mahindra tractors are fast emerging as a leading player in the U.S. market, providing stiff competition to established names like John Deere and Kubota. "We sold more than 10,000 tractors in the U.S. and North America in 2011," Omkar Nabar, Head Product Development, Mahindra U.S.A., told a group of visiting Indian journalists at its pavilion at "Farm Progress Show" recently. Mahindra is ranked fourth presently in terms of volume of sale of tractors in the U.S. after John Deere, Kubota and New Holland, he said. Marked with features like rugged chasis and bigger loader basket, the Mahindra tractors which are competitively priced, are gaining popularity among American farmers, Denise Crowe, Marketing Coordinator, Mahindra U.S.A., said. The Mahindra tractor pavilion in the "Farm Progress Show", organised by leading seed and agricultural equipments manufacturers Monsanto from August 28-30, had several visitors, mainly farmers and those associated with agri business, from various countries. Nabar attributed the low input cost of Mahindra tractors to their shipment to U.S. from Mumbai where it is manufactured. The company entered the American market as Mahindra U.S.A. in 1994. Mahindra U.S.A., a subsidiary of Mahindra Tractors, is responsible for sales in the North American continent. Mike Bixler, a farmer from East Central American city of IOWA, who spent a considerable amount of time at Mahindra's pavalion in the Farm Progress Show, said he felt the Indian tractor was reasonably priced and also sturdy.