TEHRAN Managing Director of Iran's Tractor Manufacturing Company Mohsen Khadem Arab-Baghi said here Saturday that a heavy duty tractor production line is soon to become operational at the complex.

Arab-Baghi said that the new line will produce model 399 heavy duty tractors to meet the country's needs for such tractors.

He said the complex will produce 14,200 tractors this year.

He added that the complex is capable of exporting its products while meeting domestic needs.

Arab-Baghi said the tractors produced at the complex are much cheaper than foreign models while their quality meet international standards. This makes us more successful in competition with other rivals,'' he said.

To this end, he added, a protocol has been signed with Egypt.

He said that the complex has extensive cooperation with Syria, Sudan and Libya in the field of tractor production and a tractor assembly line is going to be put into operation in Sudan.

He added that his company has attended fairs in Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan in order to get a foothold in Central Asian and the Caucasus markets. If necessary, Iran is ready to export tractors to those two regions, he added.

Presently, he said, all spare parts are exported to such European states as France and Italy.

The complex is one of the four major tractor manufacturing companies in the world whose products are exported to many countries including Switzerland which is located at the heart of Euorope.

The complex managed to export $11 million worth of its products to various countries. Presently more than 45 types of engines are produced at the complex.

1,420 tractors are expected to be exported from the complex abroad this year.