State Food-Grain Corporation, CLAAS to jointly assemble 400 combines in Ukraine in 2012

The State Food-Grain Corporation and leading global grain harvester producer CLAAS, as a part of a project to jointly assemble combines in Ukraine, are planning to assembly 400 of the machines in 2012, Agrarian Policy and Food Minister of Ukraine Mykola Prysiazhniuk has said.

"The fleet of new grain harvesters [in Ukraine] will be expanded by 20% by the CLAAS brand. As a part of cooperation expansion in 2011, a memorandum between the State Food-Grain Corporation and CLAAS on the joint assembly of TUCANO 440 harvesters has been signed. Two harvesters have been assembled, which are now being certified. In 2012 it is planned to assemble 400 combines," the press service of the Agrarian Policy and Food Ministry has reported, citing Prysiazhniuk.

The press service of the State Food-Grain Corporation told Interfax-Ukraine that two combines were assembled at a temporary assembly facility of the corporation in Mykolaiv region.

The corporation is considering three sites to set up a permanent harvester production facility – in Mykolaiv, Odesa and Khmelnytsky regions. The press service did not disclose other details.

"The Ukrainian government is interested in cooperating with such agricultural machinery producers and is ready to amend Ukrainian law so that production of agricultural machinery in Ukraine is attractive to foreign investors," Prysiazhniuk said.

According to the report, as a part of the International Green Week Berlin 2012 - Exhibition for the Food Industry, Agriculture and Horticulture, Prysiazhniuk also held talks with representatives of the CNH and John Deere companies.

In August 2010, the government decided to create the State Food and Grain Corporation of Ukraine. The corporation has a chain of branches.

Today the corporation has 500 combines and 300 grain carriers. By 2014, the corporation is planning to create a combine and grain carrier fleet of 7,200 combines and 4,000-5,000 grain carriers.