Tractors are just one aspect of India's growing agricultural mechanization. Tractors are not as popular as agricultural equipment worldwide

Tractor use has long been linked to farm mechanization.

For pulling a variety of agricultural tools, such as the plough (which breaks and aerates the soil, burying weeds, and incorporating crop residues), harrows and cultivators (which break up clods from plowing and prepare a smooth seedbed), drills for reliable seed sowing, and carts for moving goods, tractors have successfully replaced bullocks.

Farmers now have a strong tool that can pull or lift much heavier tools and loads thanks to the invention of tractors. The majority of tractors available in India have between 41 and 50 horsepower (hp), whereas a pair of bullocks can produce an average of 1 horsepower for agricultural tasks. But tractors aren't the only piece of farm machinery. These devices mainly supply motivation.

But tractors aren't the only piece of farm machinery. These machines' diesel engines are their main source of motive power, and the caliber of the equipment they are used with ultimately determines how effective they are.

Primary tillage at depths of 4 to 6 inches is typically the only use for bullock-drawn ploughs. A tractor-driven rotavator, on the other hand, can perform primary and secondary tillage in a single operation, taking the place of a plough, harrow, and cultivator. Additionally, it can break up compacted layers beneath the soil's surface to improve aeration, water absorption, and root growth by penetrating the soil as deep as 8 to 12 inches.

India's agricultural machinery market is growing. According to Rajat Gupta, founder of Tractor Junction, a digital platform for tractors and farming equipment,

The market for farm machinery is worth approximately $100 billion globally, which is more than the $60 billion market for tractors. In India, on the other hand, the value of farm machinery is Rs 10,000 crore, while tractors are valued at Rs 60,000 crore. "This suggests room for improvement and catching up."

Harvesters and transplanters help alleviate the growing scarcity of agricultural labor, while rotavators and subsoilers enable deep tillage to optimize the fertility and nutrient potential of lower soil layers—thereby optimizing the use of tractors.

From Machinery to Tractors

Five to seven workers must put in a full day's work to harvest one acre of wheat. Harvesting requires additional labor and another full day of work because the crop needs to be bundled and transported for threshing, which separates the grain from the straw. The entire cost is at least Rs 5,000.

A combine harvester, on the other hand, can effectively harvest, thresh, clean, and transport an acre of grain to the farmer's tractor trolley in a mere twenty to thirty minutes. Usually, the operator bills between Rs 2,000 and Rs 3,000 per acre. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that a growing number of crops in different states are being harvested mechanically rather than by hand.

Paddy seedling transplanting is also on the rise, especially in the southern states where machinery adoption is increasing. An estimated 3,000 units make up the market for rice transplanters, which includes both walk-behind (2,750 units at Rs 3 lakh each) and ride-on (250 units at Rs 10 lakh each) models. Among the leading producers are Yanmar, Kaira (China), M&M, and Kubota.

Major tractor manufacturers are establishing and growing their presence in the agricultural machinery sector in response to the growing demand for mechanization.

An Alternative Method

Tractors are very versatile machines that can be used for transportation and other non-field activities in addition to a variety of agricultural tasks.

Happy/Super Seeders, combines, and sugarcane harvesters are not as versatile as this; they are made for particular crops or processes. "Farmers have a need for these machines, but personal affordability is still a major issue,"