Swaraj Tractors, part of Mahindra Group, is eyeing horticulture as a focus area for its orchard tractors. The company sees good demand coming for such orchard tractors from States such as Maharashtra, Karnataka and Gujarat, where mechanisation has picked up in horticulture segment, said Harish Chavan, CEO, Swaraj.
The orchard tractors are smaller tractors in the range of 17-25 Hp and Swaraj offers two wheel drive (2WD) as well as four wheel drive (4WD) variants under its portfolio. Chavan said the orchard tractors are lower in height and compact compared to the normal tractors, built to navigate in small areas or fields and are used in vineyards and orchards. “Currently, we are also working on a light weight series in this segment to enrich our portfolio,” he added.
“Mechanisation in horticulture is going to be our focus area,” Chavan said. The market for these tractors is rapidly growing in Karnataka and Maharashtra along with some other states as the need of farm mechanization is being realized in the horticulture segment, he added.
Chavan said the orchard tractors contribute to about 5 per cent of Swaraj’s domestic sales. The company is also expanding its presence in the agri-implement segment.
“We are also working on different mechanisation tools which can be used in low row spaces which could be used for spraying, crop care and other practices in horticulture. We are in fact looking at the entire farming value chain and working on a solution,” Chavan said.
Swaraj offers a wide range of basic implements and special purpose implements like potato planters, straw reapers and balers. Swaraj, which also manufactures Combine harvesters and tractor mounted combine harvesters, saw total implement sales of ₹148 crore during fiscal 21, including harvester sales of ₹60 crore.