Role of Tractors in Modern Agriculture

1. Role of Tractors in Modern Agriculture – A Must - Use Technology for Farmers Khetigaadi

2. Evolution of Tractors in India The tractor is perhaps one of the most essential farm machines in Indiaand around the world. It has played a significant role in the fundamental alteration and development of agriculture in modern times. The advent of tractors has relieved humans and draft animals of strenuous and time-consuming drudgery have facilitated faster farm operations and have helped improve overall farm production. Modern agriculture without tractors is simply unthinkable. The very first tractors in India were imported by the British government in 1914 for the purpose of clearing bushes and shrubs from degraded forest areas and to use this cleared land for agricultural purposes. While these imported tractors were mainly used in governmental farming operations, they were also made available for hire to landowners that could afford them. By 1930, while the use of tractors in farming still remained limited, an indigenous industry of manufacturing tractor spare parts and engines sprang up in India.

3. The Invention of the Tractor and its Market Growth Mechanization of agriculture was an outcome of the Industrial Revolution in Europe. There was a concerted effort during this period to come up with machinery that would replace human and animal labour and also get more work done in a shorter amount of time. The development and refinement of steam engines was a major step towards the invention of tractors. In 1849, the Philadelphia-based A. M. Archambault & Company built the first steam-powered machine that could chop straw, cut wood, and thresh crops. These early farm machines were either fixed in place or were hauled by horses or oxen. It wasn’t until the development of the steam traction engine that could power the wheels that it became possible to have farm threshers that could be mechanically driven to the threshing site. After India became independent in 1947, the Indian government placed great emphasis on reforming and modernizing the agricultural sector to pave the way towards food self-sufficiency. More land was brought under agricultural cultivation and more tractors were imported to speed up this task. These tractors were rigorously studied by Indian manufacturers, already well-versed in producing tractor parts and engines, and modified to suit Indian conditions, and, in 1961, Indian manufacturers began bringing out the first Indian-made tractors. Five major tractor producers: Eicher Motors, Gujarat Tractors, TAFE Ltd., Escorts Tractors Ltd., Mahindra & Mahindra. Domestic tractor production increased in the next ten years, but tractors still continued to be imported from the former Soviet Union, Poland, Romania, Czechoslovakia, the UK, and other countries.

4. Tractor Market in India While the steam-powered threshers were certainly an improvement on manual labour, they had severe drawbacks. They were large and difficult to operate, they were expensive to manufacture, purchase, and maintain, and they could also be hazardous; there were instances of fires starting from flying sparks. Something more reliable, safe, and practical was needed, and this came about in 1876 with Nicholas Otto’s four-stroke internal combustion engine. Later inventions of the petrol, diesel, and gasoline engines further helped in the development of tractors. Indian is one of the largest producers of tractors in the world, manufacturing around 660,000 units per year. The main centers of tractor production are in the states of Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat, and the top domestic markets are in Maharashtra, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Andhra Pradesh. Indian tractors are also exported to other countries in Asia, Africa, Europe, and America.

5. Types and Uses of Tractors An American inventor from Illinois, John Carter, is credited with building the first tractor with the Otto engine in 1889, and a year later, John Froelich from Iowa invented the first gasoline-powered tractor that could be driven back and forth. Froelich helped start the Waterloo Gasoline Engine Company in 1895, and the company gained recognition for their best-selling Waterloo Boy tractors. The company was later taken over by John Deere in 1918. The most commonly used tractors in Indian are four-wheeled, 31 HP to 40 HP tractors. These can be put to multiple agricultural uses, and, aside from their price, this is the main consideration that farmers make in their purchase. Aside from their use in farms, orchards, and gardens, these tractors can also be used to haul produce, goods, equipment, and any other loads from one destination to another. To be able to drive the tractors on roads though, it is necessary for farmers to register them with the transportation department first.

6. Current Scenario The first industrial production of tractors was begun in Iowa in 1902 by the Hart-Parr Company. Henry Ford began manufacturing tractors that he called ‘Automobile Plows’ in 1907 and the Holt company began producing ‘Caterpillar’ track tractors in 1908. Tractors found widespread use in the USA and Canada and were instrumental in bringing huge tracts of land under cultivation. These early tractors were behemoths and not affordable for all farmers. Following the economic downturn of 1914, it became clear to the tractor companies that if they were to stay afloat they needed to come up with smaller, easier to operate, and less expensive tractors that within the range of most farmers. Indian farmers have become more aware of the benefits of farm mechanization and the role of the tractor in reducing farm labour drudgery, making multiple crops possible in a single year, speeding up farm operations, and reducing overall farm expenses.

7. Tractors in India Tractors have been used in Indian agriculture since 1914. They were imported by the British government to bring more land under agricultural cultivation, but their use was mainly limited to governmental operations; they were also hired out to rich Indians who could afford to rent them from the government. Since getting replacement parts and engines for these tractors from England was very expensive, these parts and engines began to be produced in India and a thriving industry had developed by the 1930s. Government funding and subsidies, as well as the availability of nearly 95% credit from commercial banks, state land development banks, regional rural banks, and other financial institutions, have made it possible for a growing number of farmers with small-sized and medium-sized landholdings to purchase tractors. With the problem of rising labour scarcity due to increased migration to urban areas, better work opportunities in other sectors, and government employment schemes, having a tractor has become more or less of a necessity for many farmers. Without it, they wouldn’t have sufficient manpower to complete all the essential farming tasks.

8. Future Industry Growth • After Indian independence, Indian agriculture received a boost from government initiatives to modernize farming. Tractors were imported from the Soviet Union, Romania, Czechoslovakia, Poland, UK, and other countries to help increase agricultural productivity. They were often modified locally to suit Indian farming requirements, and Indian manufacturers studied their construction and began producing Indian-made tractors. The future of the agricultural machinery market in India will continue to be influenced by the developments in the agricultural sector and vice versa. According to a report titled “Agricultural Machinery Market in India 2017”, published by Netscribes (India) Pvt. Ltd on the Research and Markets website, the projected growth of the Indian agricultural machinery market by 2022 is expected to reach 769.2 billion rupees. Also expected is an increased demand for more technologically advanced tractors with autonomous features, sensors, air-conditioned cabins, climate-controlled cabins, Internet connectivity, data collecting abilities, and several other capabilities.

9. In 1973, the Indian government banned tractor imports and encouraged indigenous manufacturing of tractors. By the 1990s, most of the tractors used on Indian farms were produced by Indian manufacturers such as Mahindra & Mahindra, Sonalika Tractors, Standard Tractors, the Escorts Group, Balwan Tractors, HMT Tractors, and others. In recent times, the easy availability of credit for purchasing tractors and the production of higher HP tractors that are capable of deep tilling as well as performing other farm and non-farm tasks has spurred the growth of mechanization in Indian agriculture. If you are interested in looking at some of the current tractor models that are being used in India and around the world, please visit the Khetigaadi website and browse through the available selection. It is also possible to ask for tractor demos before you make your purchase, so please get in touch in that regard.

10. Social and Economic Impact of Tractors The tractor has, undoubtedly, had a tremendous social and economic impact on agricultural societies. Mechanization of many agricultural tasks that were previously performed manually has freed up the animal and human labour. Since the practice of keeping draft animals and cultivating meadows for their feed is no longer necessary on many farms, farmers can save on these costs and make more land available for cultivation. Farm workers can be diverted to other farm tasks or can find altogether different occupations in other industrial sectors. Opportunities in other sectors, as well as lack of work in rural areas, has led to a growing influx of migrant workers to urban areas and, in India and many other places, this phenomenon has resulted in the mushrooming of large slums. If you are interested in looking at some of the current tractor models that are being used in India and around the world, please visit the Khetigaadi website and browse through the available selection. It is also possible to ask for tractor demos before you make your purchase, so please get in touch in that regard.

11. Future Scenario for Tractors In the coming years, we can expect more innovations in tractors. It will be common to see autonomous tractors that drive themselves through the field and sync with other autonomous farm machines to get all the necessary farm tasks done. Such machines will only need to be programmed in advance to perform their tasks or they may be operated remotely by the farmer. The tractors will be equipped with motion detection sensors to help them navigate, with sensors to collect soil and weather data, and with climate controlled cabins and Internet connectivity. If you are interested in looking at some of the current tractor models that are being used in India and around the world, please visit the Khetigaadi website and browse through the available selection. It is also possible to ask for tractor demos before you make your purchase, so please get in touch in that regard.

12. Contact Us Contact Us • Address: 601, P3 Pentagon, Magarpatta City, Hadapsar, Pune, Maharashtra 411028 • 07875114466   (Call Us / Whatsapp) •  connect@khetigaadi.com • Address: 601, P3 Pentagon, Magarpatta City, Hadapsar, Pune, Maharashtra 411028 • 07875114466   (Call Us / Whatsapp) •  connect@khetigaadi.com