Zetor, the Czech tractor maker that has built in Brno for generations, has conceded that it can no longer manufacture and assemble its tractors there at a competitive cost. Once the remaining 30 or so assembly-line workers complete current orders, production will move to India and, later, China.

Chief executive Robert Harman blamed high energy prices, labour costs and above all the cost of materials. "This does not mean we are abandoning the up-to-130hp tractor segment," he said. "Like most of our competitors, we simply will no longer manufacture the tractors in Europe." Materials in India and China are 30–35 per cent cheaper, he said, which should cut the final price by at least 25–30 per cent.

The company's key component suppliers have already gone to Asia — Carraro for front axles and transmissions, ZF for transmissions, Mita Oleodinamica for hydraulic hitches, Fritzmeier for cabs and Deutz for engines — so importing parts back to Europe for final assembly "no longer makes economic sense", Harman said.

The new 102–122hp 5-series, which replaces the Proxima, is being sourced from the Turkish manufacturer Hattat. Zetor's headquarters, engineering, sales, service and parts operations will remain in Brno.

In India the company already has Zetor India, a joint venture with VST Tillers Tractors; in China it is looking for a manufacturing partner while preparing its own plant in Asia to keep manufacturing independence. Zetor built 1,500 units in 2025, mostly on growth in Africa, Latin America and Asia, and aims to export 5,000 tractors a year from India within five years, with a similar target for China.

For buyers of small and mid-range tractors in South Asia the move is notable: a European brand's sub-130hp range will now be built in India, with a stated goal of exporting from there. Peter Hill reported for Farmers Weekly.

Source: Farmers Weekly