TEHRAN The new heavy tractor production line began operating in the Tractor Sazi Tabriz Factory on Sunday.

The new production line will increase production from 50 units per day to 70 units.

The Managing Director of Tractor Sazi Tabriz, Mohsen Khadem Arab-Baghi, said that this production line would supply the country's needs for heavy tractors and that in the first phase 2000 model 399 tractors would be produced annually.

He added that it is projected that 14,200 tractors will be produced and marketed this year.

Tractor Sazi Iran is one of the four biggest tractor companies in the world and its tractors have been exported to most countries.

The director of the Presiding Board of Iran's Industrial Development and Renovation Organization, Akbar Torkan, said on Sunday that Tractor Sazi Tabriz tractors would be exported to South American countries this year.

Torkan added that the assembly lines of this factory are operating in Sudan and Libya now and tractors would be exported to different parts of the world.

"12,000 of model 285 tractors will be produced in this factory this year, which is an increase of 3,300 units compared to last year," he continued.

He said that the country currently needs 200,000 tractors, and added, "We hope to compensate for the lack of tractors by increasing production at the factory, and also with the workers efforts and increased governmental support."

Torkan asked the agricultural sector, specifically the Bank Keshavarzi, to provide financial support to farmers so that they can buy tractors.