The tractor fleet in Bulgaria - status, problems and recommendations

E. Vidinova, S. Bozhkov

Abstract: Tractors from all worldwide manufacturers are operated in the Bulgarian farming, in a wide power range, with different technical and economic characteristics. The aim of this research is to make an actual assessment of the status and problems of the tractor fleet and to suggest a plan-scheme of its updating. The study used methods of analysis, comparison and graphic. The analysis showed that the share of chain models in the Bulgarian tractor fleet is symbolic. At the end of 2010 they were less over 4% of all tractors, and 96% of them have expired amortization period. From wheeled models operating in Bulgarian agriculture, most are produced in the former USSR and Bulgaria (90%). During the period 2005-2010 its number decreased with about 10% and mainly due to the reduction of three tractor makes - TK „Bolgar”, YUMZ and T-25. In other makes (except MTZ) reduction is negligible (1%). There is increasing of the share only in tractor make MTZ. The quantity of tractors of the world’s leading manufactures of agricultural machinery John Deer, New Holland, Fendt, Massey Ferguson and others increases, but very slowly - at the end of the analyzed period (2010) they are less than 12% of the total number of tractors. The fact that less than ¼ of them are in the category “up to 2 years” and almost half of them have elapsed amortization period shows that the main mass of the imported models were “second hand”. The number of tractor models of manufactures with small representative in Bulgarian agriculture is relatively large (about 8% at the end of 2010) and a significant part of them have unexpired amortization period. The distribution of tractors on farm groups is different. Most farms have an area from 1 to 20 ha (57%) and over 100 ha (11%). These two groups of farms own about 73% of the tractor fleet. The farms with its own tractor park are 7% of registered farms in Bulgaria. Those with rented equipment or which use tractors in associations are 33%. The status of the tractor fleet in Bulgaria shows that its renovation and modernization need large financial resources. The implementation of these processes requires developing a plan –scheme in which to describe in detail the state, period of renovation or modernization, funds for them and the sources of funding.

Keywords: agriculture; specific power of tractors; status; tractor fleet

Date published: 2018-02-21