Coronavirus causes agricultural machinery manufacturers to halt production

Jacto, Stara and John Deere, manufacturers of agricultural machines and implements, have halted their activities due to the coronavirus pandemic.  According to the president of the Sectorial Chamber of Agricultural Machines and Implements (CSMIA) of the Brazilian Machinery and Equipment Industry Association (Abimaq ), Pedro Estevão Bastos, other manufacturers should follow suit until the beginning of April.

“Some of the companies are already on collective vacations. The companies are maintaining their servicing of spare parts because operations need to continue. But those who have not yet gone on collective holidays, should do so next week”, says Bastos. A lack of parts to assemble the machines is the main reason for the stoppage.  Until the beginning of last week, the problem was more localized, mainly associated  with imports from China, the largest supplier of imported parts in the world. However, the growth of the pandemic has forced many other suppliers to also stop working to avoid further contagion.

Despite paralysis in most sectors of the economy, the coronavirus problem is not expected to affect the soybean and corn harvest. “Decisions to buy machinery for the harvest normally occur between four and six months before the operation”, explains the executive.

Source: Globo Rural

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