Our Challenges
Enriching People’s Diets in the USA.
Responding to the Needs of Small-scale Farmers with Ideal Size Agricultural Machinery
These met with a favorable reception among grape growers, finally gaining Kubota entry into the US agricultural market.
The state of California in the USA extends lengthwise down the continent, with a series of steep mountain ranges running along the coast, and areas of both arid and forested land. The state’s diverse climate allows for the cultivation of a wide variety of agricultural products, including vegetables, fruits, and nuts such as almonds. Of these, California has garnered global fame for its wine. It is the fourth largest wine producer in the world after Italy, France, and Spain, and accounts for about 85% of the total production in the USA, literally adding to the richness of the American people’s lives. Kubota’s tractors are playing an active role in California’s vineyards.
In 1972, Kubota established a local subsidiary, Kubota Tractor Corporation, in California, and commenced its full-scale cultivation of the North American market. Initially, we established our position with compact tractors for individual customers, but in the 1990s, we increased the power output of tractors and expanded our lineup. Then, in the 2000s, we developed utility tractors ranging from 60 to over 100 horsepower, thereby matching the needs of small-scale farmers, including orchards. Kubota had finally gained entry to the US agricultural market. In particular, the narrow-type tractor was ideal for vineyards. These vineyards were too narrow for large tractors to fit between the trees. Tractors also had to be durable and simple to operate, as they would be in operation for 12 to 14 hours a day. Kubota’s tractors were warmly welcomed by grape growers for their simplicity, low breakdown rate, and high reliability. For example, two thirds of the tractors used in Napa Valley, a world-famous wine-growing region, are now said to be Kubota tractors, thus supporting the production of Californian wine.
In recent years, the global standard of living has risen, including in emerging countries, and the consumption of wine has increased worldwide. Kubota is not only enriching the lives of people in the USA, but also contributing to the enrichment of the lives of people around the world from the USA.
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