Tata International Africa announces new John Deere dealerships in Malawi and Tanzania
Tata International Africa says it is expanding its footprint into Malawi and its neighbours, Tanzania as a trusted John Deere dealer to support the fast-growing agricultural and construction markets.
A statement from Tata International African Boksburg, South Africa, says with a rich history in Africa, John Deere is a trusted, world-renowned leader in producing turf, agricultural, construction, and forestry machinery solutions with state-of-the-art precision technology”.
With a continued focus on strengthening the John Deere presence it serves its customers through more than 218 dealer touch points across Africa Middle East and supports its dealer network with a regional Parts distribution centre in South Africa as well as sales and marketing offices in South Africa and Kenya.
In collaboration, Tata and John Deere will provide equipment dedicated to the success of their customers, to those who cultivate, harvest, transform, enrich and build upon the land to meet the world’s dramatically increasing need for food, clothes, and infrastructure.
Jaco Beyers, Managing Director of John Deere AME, is quoted in the statement as saying: “At John Deere, we are committed to living out our strategy of providing customers with the best products, service, and aftermarket support in agriculture, construction and forestry.
“Tata International is a true partner and is also invested and dedicated to this strategy. Tata supports our customers in delivering sustainable food production and creating infrastructure in Africa.”
While Len Brand, CEO of Tata International Africa said: “Tata International Africa’s solid reputation of supporting John Deere products in several countries in Africa has enabled us to make this commitment in Tanzania and Malawi.
“We are extremely proud to have been given this opportunity to represent the brand in more countries on the continent.”
The statement explains that Tata group began its relationship with the African continent in 1977, and in 1994 the group inaugurated Tata Africa Holdings in Johannesburg, South Africa, which now serves as the group’s headquarters in the continent.
Brand said: “Known for quality products and ethical business operations on the African continent, Tata is committed to its vision of building and sustaining relationships in Africa with cooperation and trust, creating employment opportunities and contributing to local communities’ social development.
“Tanzania and Malawi’s diverse mining and mineral industries, as well the all-important agricultural sector, play a significant role in the development of their economies.
“We look forward to contributing to the further development of these economies and their populations with this expansion and pledge our support to the customers through our uptime strategy.”
Beyers added credence by saying: “Together, Tata and Deere have what is needed to develop and sustain our beautiful continent. We look forward to growing with them as they expand their footprint into these and other countries as a world-class dealer that can support our customers with dedicated focus and commitment.
The two promise that John Deere and Tata International Africa will further expand their construction and forestry operations into Côte d’Ivoire, and their agricultural, construction, and forestry operations into Senegal.
“With core values of integrity, quality, commitment and innovation, John Deere is committed to delivering a distinctive customer experience and solutions-driven advice from its authorised dealer network.
“Together, John Deere and Tata International Africa will keep customers evolving in agriculture and construction through world-class equipment, technology and innovation,” said the statement.
This John Deere dealership comes as President Lazarus Chakwera’s administration is advocating for commercial farmers to embrace all seasonal Mega Farms, which is MW2063 Pillar 1 of agriculture productivity and commercialization.
Last month, Minister of Agriculture Lobin Lowe visited Chimpeni Estate in Zomba and engaged some commercial tobacco farmers in the Southern Region as they work around the clock together with other Ministries in actioning the Mega Farm concept implementation.
He had said his visit was aimed at engaging already existing farmers on how government can leverage on agricultural assets — land, capital, labour, management and equipment — which form a basis of production.
He said he was “very impressed with what some commercial farmers are doing”, saying “after finishing harvesting tobacco in April, Chimpeni Farm grew sugarbeans seed on a land over 100ha using center pivot irrigation”.
“Come July, they will grow another crop to be harvested in October or there about before planting tobacco again this same season — three times cropping in a year.”
He described the Chimpeni Estate initiative as the right mentality towards agricultural commercialisation taking cognizance that the irrigated crops will be added value right there in Zomba and that over 1000 jobs are being created at only one farm.
“This means that, while we are at an advanced stage in starting government mega farms, my Ministry will continue supporting commercial farmers to be Anchor Farmers in their areas.”
He also said whatever the commercial farmers produce in their farms, they should help their communities by outgrowing them so that the community can be complementing their harvests and sell all together.
“The anchor farmers will really help again in knowledge transferring to our farmers on modern agricultural practices. And soon, we will get more benefits from agriculture.”
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