ANALYSIS AND DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR AGRICULTURAL MACHINERY RENTAL AND SHARED USED MODELS

Abstract

This article examines how agricultural machinery rental and shared-use models, including machinery sharing and cooperation, can help farms reduce capital costs, financial risk, and maintain competitiveness under conditions of rising machinery prices and seasonality. The study employed an analysis of scientific literature and a comparative analysis of the models based on their economic, organizational, and technological characteristics. The aim of the study is to propose agricultural machinery rental and shared-use models and to justify their application and development opportunities.The research results revealed four main models of agricultural machinery use – short-term and long-term rental,  sharing, and cooperative management – along with their advantages and disadvantages for farms of different sizes. The finding indicate that these, models are particularly beneficial for small and medium-sized farms as they allow access to modern machinery without large initial investments. However, their effectiveness is limited by seasonal „bottlenecks,“ the risk of long-term commitments, and coordination challenges. The conclusion is drawn that the most optimal approach for farms is to apply a mixed model, combining short-term and long term rental with sharing platforms.