New Delhi[India], June 28 : The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), along with the Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (CMERI), has created a small, affordable, and easy-to-use tractor for small and marginal farmers, said the Ministry of Science and Technology on Friday.
The ministry added that the tractor was developed with the support of the SEED (Science for Equity Empowerment and Development) Division of the Department of Science & Technology.
This new tractor aims to help small farmers, who make up over 80 per cent of cultivators in India. Many of these farmers still use bullocks for farming, which is expensive and not very efficient. While power tillers are becoming more common, they are hard to use. Traditional tractors are too expensive and not suitable for small farms.
"It can help speed up farming, finishing it in a few hours in comparison to several days that the bullock cart needs and also reduces capital and maintenance cost of farmers" said the ministry.
An MSME (Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise) plans to set up a factory to produce these tractors for farmers. The government is promoting this technology among existing and new Self Help Groups (SHGs). CSIR-CMERI is also looking to license the technology to local companies for large-scale manufacturing, so more farmers can benefit.
The tractor has a 9-horsepower diesel engine, with 8 forward and 2 reverse speeds. It weighs about 450 kg and has a wheelbase of 1200 mm, a ground clearance of 255 mm, and a turning radius of 1.75 meters. This tractor can help small farmers complete their farming tasks in a few hours, compared to several days using bullocks, and reduce their costs.
The ministry stated that an MSME from Ranchi is interested in setting up a plant for mass production and plans to supply the tractors to farmers through state government tenders at subsidized rates.
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