The tractor, a time honoured symbol of farmer empowerment, seems set to chart out a new identity for itself as over 50 per cent of the machines currently sold in the Indian market are estimated to be used for non-agricultural applications.
In addition to being used for tilling farm land, the machines are now increasingly being utilised in the construction sector, especially in the infrastructure space, as well as for haulage.
Some tractors, which are fitted with inverters, also double up as a source of electricity in regions where power supply is either erratic or missing.
According to Mr Amit Mitra, Chief, Sales and Marketing, Escorts Agri Machinery Group, tractors sales in the country are around five lakh annually, and the overall demand is growing at 18-20 per cent every year.
More than half of these are used for non-agriculture purposes and the construction part of the segment is growing faster than the traditional (agro) segment, he said.
To capitalise on this trend, tractor manufacturer Escorts recently unveiled the Jai Kisan series which offers five distinct categories in both its existing lines – Farmtrac which caters to the mass market and Powertrac, the premium range.
One variant in this series caters specifically to haulage-based requirements, while the other has features designed for infrastructure-based applications.
The company's inverter tractors account for 20 per cent of its country-wide sales and are most popular in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, he added.
New plant plans
Meanwhile, with capacity saturation imminent at Escorts' tractor plant at Faridabad, the company is scouting for land for a new plant and will finalise the location in the next three to four months, Mr Nandi said.
He ruled out Maharashtra as a contender saying that land here was too expensive.