Business news

MINSK, 22 March (BelTA) – Plans have been made for the assembly enterprise of the Belarusian mechanical engineering company MTZ in Georgia to make over 200 tractors per annum. The statement was made by MTZ Deputy Marketing Director for CIS, Ukraine, and Georgia Alexander Kazakevich when Georgia Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili visited the enterprise on 22 March, BelTA has learned.

The MTZ executive noted: “This year we intend to start assembling 33-36hp tractors in Georgia. The project is in the final stage. The enterprise is expected to turn out over 200 vehicles per annum.”

The MTZ Deputy Marketing Director said that the Georgian Technical University is a partner in this project on the part of Georgia. The university’s premises will be used to assemble MTZ tractors. Apart from that, the university will train personnel for the enterprise. “A private company is also involved in the project. One can say it is an example of public private partnership,” explained Alexander Kazakevich.

The executive also said that this year MTZ intends to sell more vehicles to Georgia. “Last year we sold only ten vehicles worth over $190,000. It is a small figure for that market. At the same time MTZ tractors are popular in Georgia, with about 18,000 MTZ tractors in use. The 80hp engine tractor is the top seller just like in the majority of ex-USSR countries,” he noted. The MTZ representative also said that the company has recently contracted to deliver 85 vehicles worth $1.5 million to Georgia.

An enterprise to make and assemble agricultural machines has been working in Batumi since 2011. The enterprise assembles and makes components of walk-behind tractors and manufactures carts for the walk-behind tractors. The enterprise started assembling compact Belarus 311 tractors in 2015.