The T9000 tractor is future of farming

6:38pm Wednesday 2nd July 2008

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ANYONE who truly wants the earth to move for them can now invest in the T9000, from Basildon.

The giant titan of the fields is the largest tractor ever to emerge from the town's New Holland factory, and may be the biggest tractor ever launched on the British market.

The American-designed colossus is built to take on the giant prairies of the US Midwest, where a tractor can plough all day in the same direction without needing to turn around. Tractors of this dimension were previously considered unsuitable for the conditions of British agriculture, but times are changing.

The giant tractor has been introduced to the UK market at a time when farm businesses find increasing problems in attracting labour, and are also looking to cut costs by investing in more productive plant.

New Holland anticipates strong demand from Poland and other new "breadbasket" European countries, where wide-open plains match the conditions of the American prairies. The launch of the T9000 comes at a time when agriculture, particularly in the wheat producing fields of Essex and the rest of East Anglia, looks forward to the most promising market conditions for years. Worldwide shortages and increased demand from countries such as China and India means the price of grain has more than tripled since last year's harvest - from £65 per tonne to £200.

Tractor registrations have soared in response, rising 24 per cent between May 2007 and 2008. The Agricultural Engineers' Association predicts sales will rise by a further 30 per cent over the next year. Demand for agricultural machinery of every kind has meant the supply of new combine harvesters has run out in Britain, and no more will be available for purchase until next year. Tractors are less of a problem. "New Holland believes the factory will be able to keep up with demand, although it is rising fast," Mr Wyatt said.

The T9000 is currently manufactured in Fargo, North Dakota, then imported to Britain according to demand. The Basildon unit is responsible for European sales and marketing.

However, with the Fargo plant at or near full production capacity, this could change. "If demand is as high as we hope, production is likely to begin in the Basildon plant as well," Mr Wyatt said. Meanwhile, anyone thinking of snapping up a T9000 for nipping down to the newsagent, needs to find between £170,000 and £270,000, depending on features and on the particular deal negotiated.