Japanese equipment maker launches innovative tractors for Southeast Asia market

BANGKOK – Japanese industrial equipment manufacturer Yanmar aims to help create new value for farmers in Southeast Asia with the introduction of a new series of innovative tractors

Yanmar held the grand launch yesterday for its YM tractors namely, YM 351A and YM357A, in Bangkok, Thailand.

“Scheduled to be deployed progressively from Southeast Asia to the world, YM is expected to form the backbone of Yanmar’s tractor lineup in the region in the coming years,” the company said. 

The new tractors under the YM series feature a number new technologies that will streamline operators’ work and create new value for the regions’ farmers.

Yanmar emphasized that a lot of farmers in Southeast Asia cultivate both rice in wet paddles and a range of dry field crops, from corn to sugar cane and others.

However, fields are often tilled by contractors who demand highly efficient lightweight and reliable 50-60 horsepower (hp) tractors, to lower costs and maximize their income.

Tractors in the new series offer outputs of 51 hp and 57 hp.

“The YM series meets these demands in a highly functional and attractive package featuring design by world-renowed designer and Yanmar Holdings director and member of the board Ken Okuyama,” the company said.

Yanmar said the new tractors can work on both rice paddies and dry fields, and can haul loads.

It also features advanced geolocation function toward improving the work and efficiency and profitability of farmers and operators.

This can be accessed through its SmartAssist-Remote, which allows uses to get vital operational information about their tractors through an intuitive user interface which can be accessed through a smartphone.

The geolocation features allow the operator to see exactly where their equipment is and how long it is working.

The technology can also issue warnings when machinery is operating outside preset parameters or if the equipment moves beyond designated boundaries.

This results to reduced downtime, which may lead to greater earnings for farmers.