In 2024, the tractor market industry will usher in new development
From sales data, there are 246 tractor production enterprises in 2022. 2023 is the first year of switching to National IV, but due to market overdraft in the previous year, tractor subsidy standards continue to be reduced, and users have a strong wait-and-see attitude towards National IV agricultural machinery, the market has shown a significant decline. In the context of market downturn, similar voices continue to emerge in the industry, such as "the tractor industry needs to shuffle" and "companies lacking competitive advantages have to switch careers or close down". From what we saw and heard at the autumn exhibition, it can be seen that the tractor industry is not so pessimistic, but has undergone new changes.
Tractor industry adds strength to enterprisesMore powerful enterprises are joining the tractor production line, adding vitality to the industry and once again exacerbating the already fierce industry competition. According to media reports, there are more than 30 newly entered enterprises. At the exhibition, I saw that DeWo Agricultural Machinery, a high-end planter in the field, brought 2004 tractors and directly joined the competition in the high-end market of tractors with over 200 horsepower. Zhejiang Xinglai, the leading enterprise of domestically produced high-speed rice transplanters, has brought a micro tractor equipped with its own engine, with a matching power of 20-30 horsepower, suitable for agricultural production in hilly and mountainous areas. Shandong Jindafeng, which has been cultivating corn harvesters for many years, has launched a 100 horsepower wheeled tractor.
The new technological path is clearer, and power shift tractors have entered the "popular" channel. Multiple enterprises have increased their investment in new energy tractors, and tractors in hilly and mountainous areas are developing rapidly. Some people say that whether a technology can "become popular" depends not only on the companies in the first camp, but also on whether the companies in the second camp are starting to decline. Previously, based on sales data, we have counted the track of power shift tractors, and 16 companies have entered (in the field of power shift tractors, 16 companies have already entered). This time, other companies have also brought power shift tractors to the exhibition, and power shift tractors have officially opened the "popular" channel. Enterprises such as Dongfanghong, Lovol, Zoomlion Heavy Industries, Kaisnew Netherlands, Aiko, and John Deere, needless to say, all carry their own main power shift and continuously variable transmission tractor models. Many second tier companies have also showcased their own power shift tractors. Anhui Legend showcased the 2004 and 2604 power shift tractors, which are two power shift tractors that use the EGR route without burning urea. Yingxuan Heavy Industry showcased a 300 horsepower continuously variable transmission tractor - YX3004-8HEV tractor, which is a continuously variable transmission tractor paired with a Yuchai hybrid engine. The staff of Luoyang Lutong introduced the LTF2004 wheeled tractor, which uses power shifting and power shuttle without the need to press the clutch. Jiangsu Dimachi showcased the DMC2104 tractor model, which is a power shift tractor equipped with unmanned autonomous navigation. During the exhibition, Guangxi Liugong released two continuously variable transmission tractors, the LT3504 hybrid tractor and the LT3604 static hydraulic heavy-duty tractor. In addition, Weifang Humvee, Michelin Heavy Industries, Benye Heavy Industries, and others have also exhibited their continuously variable transmission CVT tractors. Weichai Lewo recently announced that the Weichai Lewo High Power Tractor High end Agricultural Equipment Intelligent Manufacturing Base has officially started construction in Weifang, Shandong. After the project is completed, it can produce 100000 units of power shift and CVT tractors with a power output of over 100 horsepower per year. At present, the annual sales of 100 horsepower and above wheeled tractors in China are approximately 90000 to 150000 units. With the efforts of various production enterprises and the more mature power shift tractor products, will it be like switching from a straight phone to a smartphone in the past? Will high-power wheeled tractors soon shift from the current mainstream synchronizer to power shift? This depends on factors such as the reliability of the power shifting tractor, the cost-effectiveness of purchasing the machine, and the cost-effectiveness of use.
The new energy tractor, which was originally in the discussion and conceptual stage, also made a concentrated appearance at the exhibition. At the exhibition site, about a dozen companies brought hybrid and pure electric tractors. The concentrated debut of new energy tractors has prompted industry insiders to say that this year has become the first year of new energy agricultural machinery. China Yituo unveiled the first 220 horsepower hybrid tractor in China at the exhibition site. This product can intelligently collaborate with other agricultural tools, with continuously variable speeds ranging from 0 to 40km/h, improving work efficiency, control accuracy, and handling comfort. It is mainly used for deep plowing, deep loosening, joint land preparation, and transportation in large-scale farms. Zoomlion Heavy Industries also held a new product launch event and launched China's first new energy agricultural machinery, the CA504ET pure electric tractor, which has entered the practical application stage. The new face of the agricultural machinery industry - Zhongke Original Power - held a new product launch event for the Wantu VOLTOR intelligent electric tractor. Jiangsu Yueda launched the Huanghai Jinma YL254ET electric wheeled tractor as early as 2021. In addition, Liugong, Yingxuan, Shandong Wuzheng, Wode, and others have all launched oil electric hybrid E-CVT tractors based on the Yuchai power chassis assembly. The launch of new energy tractors is of great significance in promoting the transformation and upgrading of China's agricultural machinery equipment to green and intelligent agricultural machinery equipment.
This year, the country proposed a "one large and one small" agricultural machinery equipment research and development and manufacturing strategy, focusing on solving the shortcomings of large-scale high-power high-end intelligent agricultural machinery equipment and small machinery suitable for hilly and mountainous areas. From this exhibition of tractors, it can be seen that many enterprises are working hard to solve the problem of "inorganic availability and no good machinery available" in hilly and mountainous areas, and tractors in hilly and mountainous areas have experienced rapid development. There are no less than ten companies that have brought agricultural machinery developed specifically for hilly and mountainous areas. The CB503 wheeled hybrid tractor presented at the new product launch event of Zoomlion Heavy Industries is a hilly and mountainous tractor developed to address the bottleneck problem of limited agricultural machinery equipment and low intelligence in southern China. China Yituo showcased the Dongfanghong MH804M hilly and mountainous tractor. The manufacturer introduced that this tractor has unparalleled advantages in stability, passability, steering flexibility, safety, and other aspects of hilly and mountainous operations compared to ordinary tractors. It is particularly suitable for special working environments such as hilly and mountainous areas, sloping farmland, and orchards. In the introduction of the Huanghai Jinma YCD704 wheeled tractor, sales personnel from Jiangsu Yueda mentioned that this tractor is designed with a large steering angle and short wheelbase, making the turning radius less than 2 meters, suitable for operation in hilly and mountainous areas, greenhouses, orchards, and other scenarios. In addition to large enterprises with a high market share in the wheel trailer market, which have brought tractors suitable for hilly and mountainous areas, small agricultural machinery production enterprises that were originally focused on cultivating hilly and mountainous areas are also striving to develop and improve their own agricultural machinery to better adapt to the operation scenarios in hilly and mountainous areas. The four tractors of the same size as the wheels seen at the exhibition were brought by Guangxi Huilaibao, who has been cultivating agricultural machinery in the hilly and mountainous areas. The Huili HL504G tractor is of the same size as the four wheels. It is reported that this design of tractor can walk in rough and uneven working environments in the hilly and mountainous areas, and the body can be basically kept in a horizontal state.
