New Delhi: Escorts Limited''s ''agri machinery group'' (AMG), market leaders in tractors, has been awarded an $8.5-million export order from the government of Ghana worth. This order is for supplying 400 of the Farmtrac range of tractors and other farm mechanisation implements. Currently, Escorts commands 80 per cent share of market in Ghana competing against Us and European manufacturers.

Agriculture is the mainstay of Ghana''s economy, accounting for 36 per cent of GDP with nearly 60 per cent of the workforce dependent on it. In 2002, the government of Ghana initiated an ambitious programme of farm mechanisation. Ghana is Escorts'' success story in systematically developing the market for tractors through educating the farming communities about the benefits of mechanisation.

Incidentally, Escorts'' Farmtrac brand is also well established in the US and Europe and the company boasts sales of its tractors in all continents. During the last three years, Escorts has built its distribution network in many countries including Malaysia, Thailand, Australia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Ghana, Tanzania, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Chile and Turkey besides USA and Europe.