For North American dealers, the start of the war between Ukraine and Russia might feel like a long time ago. It was almost one year ago on Feb. 24, 2022, that Russian troops invaded Ukraine’s western border and began an assault on the capital city of Kiev. Millions of Ukrainians have since fled the country as the conflict continues to this day.
In the ag equipment world, manufacturers like AGCO, John Deere, CNH Industrial, JCB and Kubota were fast in condemning the war and shuttering their Russian operations. The North American ag equipment industry came to accept the loss of the Ukraine and Russia ag equipment market until the conclusion of the war, which proved to have little impact on business.
For Adriano Luz, CEO of 16-store Ukrainian AGCO dealer Amako, the impact of the war was immediate. In a March 11, 2022, report from Ag Equipment Intelligence, Luz said the challenges in Ukraine’s agricultural market had reverted to the most basic tasks. Farmers were limited by export restrictions, as well as an inability to use the U.S. dollar or any other hard currency or send money in or out of the country, which affected the dealership’s ability to bring in parts and equipment. They faced fuel shortages keeping technicians from driving out to customers and had to establish new routes to bring equipment into the country.
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