TAFE Cultivates 160,000 Acres Free for Small Farmers during COVID-19

TAFE - Tractors and Farm Equipment Limited, India’s second and world’s third largest tractor manufacturer by volumes, had launched a Free Tractor Rental Service for farmers in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu, from April 1, 2020, for a period of 90 days spanning till June 30, 2020, through its JFarm Services platform. The scheme received an overwhelming response from the farming community and within 75 days of its implementation, over 160,000 acres have been cultivated and rental service has been provided benefiting thousands of farmers in this crucial cropping season.

This CSR initiative by TAFE aimed to rescue the farming community from the economic implications of COVID-19, and mitigate the impact of the Coronavirus threat on farming operations of small and marginal farmers during the critical Rabi harvest and Kharif preparation season.

TAFE launched the JFarm Services free tractor rental scheme with 18,000 Massey Ferguson and Eicher Tractor customers, and about 75,000 farm implement owners, to offer implements like the cultivator, rotary tiller, duck-foot cultivator, disc plough, disc harrow, mould board plough, thresher and several others. Owing to popular demand, the JFarm services platform saw an increase in the registrations to 50,200 Massey Ferguson and Eicher Tractors and 1,21,000 implements available on rent.

TAFE successfully implemented this free tractor rental scheme for the small and marginal farmers with the administrative support of the respective state governments from the Agriculture Departments of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu. The benefit received by JFarm Services through tractor rental has been directly given to the farmers by TAFE. This has considerably helped in enhancing the revenue of tractor owners and has been welcomed by both, the owners and the small farmers.

Dr. Devesh Chaturvedi (IAS), Principal Secretary, Department of Agriculture, Government of Uttar Pradesh said, "Government of Uttar Pradesh has been actively working with all stakeholders in order to provide seamless support to the farming community of the State, especially uninterrupted movement of agriculture equipment and harvesters etc. TAFE stepped-in at the right time to support the farming community during this critical cropping / harvesting season, by way of reducing financial distress of farmers amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Small and marginal farmers have been greatly benefited from this free rental scheme provided by TAFE’s JFarm Services through Massey Ferguson and Eicher Tractors. This timely CSR effort of TAFE, in partnership with the State Government, has been well appreciated by one and all.”

Ashish Kumar Yadav, a small farmer from Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh said, “I would like to thank JFarm Services from the bottom of my heart for threshing my 1.5-acre wheat crop, completely free of cost. This commendable initiative by TAFE’s JFarm Services has helped us out immensely during the

COVID-19 pandemic and I express my sincere gratitude to TAFE on behalf of the entire farming community.” Vijay Shankar Tiwari, another farmer from Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh said, “I got my  one-acre farm cultivated absolutely free of cost by TAFE’s JFarm Services through an Eicher Tractor. The service provided was extremely good and I am delighted by this free tractor rental scheme. I would like to convey my sincere regards to TAFE for extending their timely help.”

Shyam Bahadur Yadav, an Eicher Tractor owner from Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh said, “With TAFE’s Free Tractor Rental Scheme and the company's guidance, I could plough farms of about 165 small and marginal farmers. This unique scheme has been a great relief to all the farmers. I could increase my rental income substantially and have been getting all my payments on time directly from the company, even during such difficult situation. I would like to thank TAFE for its timely support to the farmers of Uttar Pradesh.” Vishwanath Prajapati, another farmer from Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh, who owns a Massey Ferguson Tractor said, “I bought my Massey Ferguson 7250 tractor recently. I registered on TAFE’s JFarm Services App and with the support of the company, I could help cultivate farms of over 75 small and marginal farmers, absolutely free of cost. Besides being able to help the farmers, I could also enhance my earnings considerably. I would like to thank TAFE on behalf of all the farmers, who have been greatly benefited by this free tractor rental service.