A delayed, yet near-adequate rainfall is expected to boost tractor sales around October. Sales remained flat in the April-June quarter, as farmers postponed pre-monsoon purchase plans fearing deficient rainfall. “With arrival of rains, we expect sales to peak around October,” Shenu Agarwal, Head-Marketing, Escorts Ltd, said here on Wednesday. He was in the city for the launch of high-end tractors in the eastern India markets.

According to him, tractor sales posted compounded annual growth of 8-10 per cent over the last couple of years, till it stumbled on tepid demand scenario in the first quarter of this fiscal. “We expect the same level (8-12 per cent) of growth around October,” he said.

Asked about the company’s future plans, Agarwal said the agri-machinery maker would focus on high-end models that include those having over 50 horse-power capacities.

Escorts, Agarwal said, was investing significantly in product development, including high-end ones.

According to him, introduction of such high-end models across the North has helped the company beat a slowdown in tractor sales.

Escorts posted nearly 13 per cent growth in sales for the period between April and June quarter this year. Industry growth during this period, according to an ICRA Research report, grew by around three per cent.

>abhishek.l@thehindu.co.in

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