News Releases for September 2008
September 9, 2008
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Big Iron Farm Show Draws International Buyers
WEST FARGO, ND – Lt. Governor Jack Dalrymple and the North Dakota Trade Office today welcomed about 130 agriculture equipment buyers from around the world to the 28th annual Big Iron Farm Show and Exhibition in West Fargo, as part of the event’s International Visitors Program. The program provides an opportunity for North Dakota equipment manufacturers and dealers to connect with international buyers.
The North Dakota Trade Office and U.S. Commercial Service have concentrated their recruiting efforts on major equipment distributors, large farm managers and other equipment buyers in the former Soviet states of Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova
– high-demand markets for large-scale agriculture production technology. Equipment buyers from the former Soviet states, Canada, Germany and five other countries have registered to attend Big Iron and participate in the International Visitors Program.
“This program is part of a larger state effort to enhance North Dakota’s global competitiveness and diversify our economy,” Dalrymple said. “Machinery accounted for 46 percent of North Dakota’s merchandise exports last year, contributing $929 million to the state’s economy. Even more encouraging is that export data collected through June 2008 shows this year’s machinery exports are outpacing last year’s by 48 percent.”
International visitors will spend four days in North Dakota attending the farm show, equipment demonstrations, buyer-seller receptions, agribusiness tours, agriculture education seminars and special events marking the 50th anniversary of Bobcat Company and the 50th anniversary of Case-New Holland’s Steiger tractor, Trade Office Executive Director Susan Geib said.
“Last year’s International Visitors Program was a success for our equipment manufacturers and dealers and we expect to build on that success at this year’s show,” Geib said.
Guests at this year’s Big Iron and the International Visitors Program will include Yaraslav Bondarenko of Ukragroleasing, Ukraine’s largest buyer and seller of used farm equipment, and Vyacheslav Bobryshev, managing director of IP Consult, a nationwide dealer of agriculture equipment in Kazakhstan.
“The International Visitors Program is a great way of leveraging the draw of Big Iron to build on the growing international demand for North Dakota’s agricultural equipment and services,” said Joe Delvo, the Trade Office’s manager of agriculture equipment exports.
North Dakota agricultural equipment companies that participated in last year’s inaugural Big Iron International Visitors Program reported initial sales valued at $1.55 million. Companies have since reported establishing significant long-term business as a result of the program. In a survey of last year’s foreign visitors, 82 percent said they will or are more likely to buy North Dakota equipment since participating in the program.
“It’s very helpful in meeting new contacts and to touch base with existing customers,” said Brian Messerschmidt, equipment wholesale manager at Fargo-based RDO Equipment Co. “The program is a big draw because it really caters to everything that our international buyers need.”
Several former Soviet states rank among the world’s most high-demand markets for agricultural equipment. In those countries, collective farms have given way to large, corporate farms, but a chronic lack of modern farm equipment remains a major obstacle to developing their agriculture sectors, the U.S. Commercial Service reports.
Russia is North Dakota’s fifth largest export market, with agriculture machinery representing most of the state’s exports to that country. Russia’s annual imports of North Dakota machinery have increased in value from $3 million in 2002 to $55 million last year. Machinery exports to Ukraine, North Dakota’s sixth largest export market, have increased from no sales in 2002 to $35 million last year, and machinery exports to Kazakhstan have increased from no sales in 2002 to $28 million in the same five-year period.
Big Iron, held at the Red River Valley Fairgrounds in West Fargo, features more than 800 exhibitors and attracts about 70,000 visitors each year. The event runs September 9-11, with events for international buyers beginning September 8.
For more information about the Big Iron International Visitors Program visit www.ndto.com or call the North Dakota Trade Office at (701) 235-3638.
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