{"id":27439,"date":"2024-08-17T17:28:14","date_gmt":"2024-08-17T11:58:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=27439"},"modified":"2024-08-17T18:58:08","modified_gmt":"2024-08-17T13:28:08","slug":"mechanisation-of-indian-farming-sector","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/editorial-analysis\/17-08-2024\/mechanisation-of-indian-farming-sector","title":{"rendered":"Mechanisation of Indian Farming Sector"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Syllabus: GS3\/Agriculture<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
    \n
  • Recent replies in Parliament showed that the overall average mechanisation level for crops stands at 47%, and it will take another 25 years to reach 75-80% mechanisation in India.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    About Farm Mechanisation in India<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
      \n
    • Farm mechanisation refers to the adoption of machinery and technology<\/strong> in various agricultural operations. It plays a pivotal role in enhancing productivity, reducing manual labour, and ensuring timely and efficient farm practices<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • In India, where agriculture remains a backbone of the economy<\/strong>, mechanisation becomes even more critical.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      Current Scenario<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n
      \n
      \"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
        \n
      • Overall Mechanisation Level:<\/strong> The available data for major crops\u2014such as rice, wheat, maize, sorghum, millets, pulses, oilseeds, cotton, and sugarcane\u2014paints a picture of 47% overall mechanisation.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • While states like Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Punjab have relatively high mechanisation levels, the northeastern states lag behind significantly.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

        Crop-Specific Insights<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
          \n
        • Wheat:<\/strong> Leading the pack, wheat achieves 69% mechanisation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Rice<\/strong>: Not far behind, rice clocks in at 53% mechanisation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Others<\/strong>: Maize (46%), pulses (41%), oilseeds (39%), cotton (36%), and sugarcane (35%) are still catching up.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Sorghum and Millets:<\/strong> These crops lag at 33% mechanisation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

          Key Areas of Mechanisation<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
            \n
          • Seed-Bed Preparation:<\/strong> This operation is highly mechanised (over 70%) for major crops like rice and wheat. Proper seedbed preparation ensures optimal soil conditions for planting.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Sowing and Planting: <\/strong>Mechanisation levels vary, with wheat sowing being the most mechanised. Sugarcane and rice transplanting still rely significantly on manual labour.\n
              \n
            • At 40%, there\u2019s room for improvement.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Weeding and Inter-Culture:<\/strong> Currently mechanised to 32%.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Harvesting and Threshing:<\/strong> This critical phase stands at 34% mechanisation.\n
                \n
              • Surprisingly, this area remains the least mechanised for most crops, except rice and wheat. Rice and wheat harvesting see mechanisation levels of over 60%, while cotton lags behind.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                Global Comparisons<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
                  \n
                • United States:<\/strong> The U.S. leads the way with a mechanisation level of 95%. Advanced technologies, precision agriculture, and large-scale farming contribute to this impressive figure.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                • Brazil<\/strong>: Brazil stands at 75% mechanisation. Its vast agricultural expanses, especially in soybean and sugarcane cultivation, benefit from modern machinery.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                • China<\/strong>: China, with 59.5% mechanisation, has made significant strides. Its focus on rice and wheat production, along with government support, drives mechanisation efforts.\n
                    \n
                  • India\u2019s overall mechanisation level lags behind countries like China (59.5%) and Brazil (75%).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                  • While India\u2019s farm mechanisation industry is valued at around \u20b99,200 crores (as of 2022), the global industry stands at approximately $100 billion. India aims to grow its share to \u20b915,000 crores by 2026.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                    Factors at Play<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n