Through its free tractor rental plan, TAFE, one of the country's top tractor manufacturers, helped around 64,000 small and marginal farmers in Tamil Nadu to continue agricultural activities in over 1.03 lakh acres without interruption during the second wave of the COVID pandemic.
The agricultural community reacted positively to TAFE's free tractor rental program, which is part of its JFarm services platform. It claimed in a release that over 1.55 lakh hours of free tractor and farm tool rental services were offered in 60 days, cultivating over 1,03,000 acres.
TAFE gave small farmers with two acres or fewer a “free-of-cost” rental of 19,000 Massey Ferguson and Eicher tractors and 33,500 implements. The scheme covered 64,000 farmers in Tamil Nadu, compared to an expected coverage of 50,000. Farmers utilized high-demand equipment including the cultivator, disc plough, duck-foot cultivator, and rotary tiller extensively under the plan.
The goal of TAFE's CSR effort was to save the agricultural community from the financial consequences of COVID-19 and to reduce the impact of the Coronavirus menace on small and marginal farmers' farming operations during the key rabi harvest and kharif preparation season.
“At this crucial moment, we have been given the chance to help small and marginal farmers while also playing a role in boosting farmer revenue through a direct benefit scheme, which has been appreciated by both renter farmers and marginal farmers,” said Mallika Srinivasan, CMD.
“The TAFE JFarm Services free tractor rental plan played a vital role in assisting small and marginal farmers maintain agricultural operations during the second wave of the COVID outbreak. The Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare's commitment to collaborate with TAFE assisted in giving timely assistance to over 64,000 farmers who farmed over 1,03,000 acres” stated State Agriculture Minister M.R.K. Panneerselvam.
About TAFE
Tractors and Farm Equipment Limited (TAFE) is an Indian tractor manufacturer founded in 1960 in Chennai, with a revenue of INR 93 billion in 2014–15. TAFE, the world's third-largest tractor manufacturer and India's second-largest by volume, has a 25 percent market share in the Indian tractor business, selling over 150,000 tractors (domestic and foreign) each year.
