Ursus C-360 Cost as Much as 57 Tonnes of Wheat in 1979
Polish agricultural portal Farmer calculated that a new Ursus C-360 tractor cost 200,000 zlotys in 1979, equal to about 57 tonnes of wheat. The article also compares prices of other goods and farm products in Poland at the time.
The Polish agricultural portal Farmer has published an overview of what the Ursus C-360, one of the most popular tractors made in Poland, cost in 1979. By the portal's calculation, a new tractor was worth slightly more than 57 tonnes of wheat.
The Ursus C-360 was produced from 1976 to 1994, and nearly 300,000 units left the factory over that period. The portal calls it the most popular Polish tractor. Many units are still used for daily work on smaller farms.
Price and comparisons
Citing the 1979 edition of "Informator Agromy", the agricultural equipment trading centre listed the tractor at 200,000 zlotys in basic configuration, which among other things meant no cab. The smaller C-330 cost 145,000 zlotys, the Fiat 126p about 90,000, the Fiat 125p 170,000, and the Polonez, presented a year earlier, 250,000 zlotys with the 1.3-litre engine. The article notes that buying a tractor was formally difficult at the time, and having the money was not enough.
According to the Central Statistical Office, wheat was purchased in 1979 at an average of 5,200 zlotys per tonne, rye about 4,350, barley 5,650 and oats about 3,850 zlotys per tonne. Potatoes averaged 2,450 and sugar beets 1,150 zlotys per tonne. Milk fetched about 5.75 zlotys per litre and hen eggs 2.76 zlotys each.
Everyday goods: a loaf of bread cost 4 zlotys, sugar 10.5 zlotys per kilogram, vodka 100 zlotys per half litre, and an SHL Frania washing machine about 1,600 zlotys.
Optional equipment
According to the 1983 operating manual, the tractor could be supplied on special request with items such as a compressor, front wheel fenders and weights, a driver's cab, a trailer hitch, and external hydraulic connections.
