Madras High Court grants Tafe interim relief in Massey Ferguson trademark dispute

The Madras High Court has granted Tractors and Farm Equipment Ltd (Tafe) interim relief, interim relief, restraining Massey Ferguson Corp., a subsidiary of US-based Agco Corp., from interfering with Tafe’s use of the Massey Ferguson brand and trademarks in India.

In a press statement, issued Friday, the Chennai-based Tafe said the injunction follows its legal challenge to prevent Massey Ferguson from obstructing its exclusive brand usage in the Indian market.

The full details of the court order are awaited.

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After scaling back some business ties with Tafe earlier this year, Agco issued a termination notice on 30 September, ending the agreement that had allowed Tafe to sell tractors under the Massey Ferguson brand. Agco accused Tafe of breaching multiple agreements, thereby stripping the Indian tractor maker of its status as a licensee, distributor, and seller of Massey Ferguson products in India and neighbouring countries.

Tafe maintains that the Massey Ferguson trademarks are synonymous with its identity, asserting that it holds the exclusive rights to the brand in India.

The dispute traces back to April 2024, when Massey Ferguson terminated a trademark usage agreement in place since 1994. Tafe sought relief from the Chennai Commercial Court, which granted temporary relief earlier this year, permitting the continued use of the brand pending resolution of the matter.

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Tafe argues that the termination was abrupt and carried out in bad faith, jeopardizing its global operations. It highlighted the significant investments made over six decades in promoting the Massey Ferguson brand and warned that the fallout could hurt Indian farmers who depend on its products.