ZHENGZHOU, July 20 (Xinhua) -- Sixty years ago, farmers in China had no tractors to free them from the hard labor of plowing their fields. Thanks to the Belt and Road Initiative, Chinese-developed "metal cattle" are now plowing the global market.

YTO Group Corporation, a leading agricultural machinery manufacturer based in central China's Henan Province, saw its exports of high- and medium-horsepower tractors go up by 51 percent and 113 percent respectively last year, with profitability in international market exceeding that in the domestic market for the first time.

Founded in 1955, YTO, or China Yituo Group Corp., was one of the 156 key projects listed in the country's first five-year development plan from 1953 to 1957. it is regarded as a pioneer in China's agricultural machinery industry.

On July 20, 1958, the first wholly Chinese-made tractor rolled off YTO's production line, ushering in a new era for the development of the domestic agricultural sector with cattle no longer the only choice for plowing farmland.

In recent years, as the domestic agricultural machinery manufacturing industry has increasingly matured, exports have become a key to YTO's development. The group has been actively tapping into markets in countries and regions along the Belt and Road as the initiative progresses steadily.

"The Belt and Road Initiative has offered historic opportunities for Chinese companies to accelerate transformation and strengthen international operations," said Zhao Yanshui, chairman of YTO.

In Serbia, the group has sold more than 3,000 tractors in the ten years since it entered the market. In 2017, it secured the second largest market share in the country selling some 350 tractors.

"YTO has endeavored to enhance its brand popularity in Serbia through participating all kinds of exhibitions and fairs, launching a good foundation for tapping into more Belt and Road markets," Zhao said.

As the only representative from China, the group debuted its new products at a Czech agriculture show in April this year and sold its tractors at the 21st International Economy Fair Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

"Exporting is not only about selling products but also providing customers with comprehensive agricultural mechanization plans," Zhao said.

In Ethiopia, the group has been pushing forward its agricultural mechanization solutions since 2010, which include product sales, technology upgrades, and after-sales service. YTO now has the largest market share in the country.

As it grows internationally, YTO has strengthened its efforts in establishing its brand. The company has registered its trademark in more than 100 countries and regions.

In 2011, YTO purchased the French factory of McCormick, an Italian farming equipment company, and set up a research center to develop agricultural machinery suitable for the European market.

"We are confident that, making full use of the opportunities provided by the Belt and Road Initiative, more Chinese farming equipment will be sold abroad on the international market," Zhao said.