CONTEMPORARY RESEARCH IN INDIA (ISSN 2231-2137): VOL.

7: ISSUE: 2 (2017)

CURRENT TRENDS OF FARM POWER SOURCES IN

INDIAN AGRICULTURE
Harwinder Singh and Amarinder Singh
Department of Agriculture, Khalsa College, Amritsar

Received: 21/04/2017 Edited: 28/04/2017 Accepted: 05/05/2017

Abstract: Farm power is the fundamental input for timely farm operations in agriculture. During the last 50 years, the total
farm power availability in Indian agriculture has increased from 0.293 kW/ha to 2.02 kW/ha. The major contribution of
farm power in 1960-61 was from animate power (human+animal), whereas in 2013-14 the major share is that of mechanical
and electrical power. The sale of tractors in India has also grown from 240000 in 2004-05 to more than 690000 in 2013-14
during the last 10 years but the sale of power tillers is still at marginal level. The share of diesel engines and electric motors in
farm power availability varied from 18.6 to 16.3% and 14 to 26.8% respectively during the last 50 years however the trends in
this paper shows that the use of electric motors is increasing as compare to diesel engines in these day. All these effect are due to the
farm mechanization. Undoubtedly, the mechanization is increasing the farm power availability which further increases the
productivity.
Keywords: Farm power, sources of farm power, power availability, productivity, current trends.

1. Introduction example of tractive work aretillage, sowing, weeding,

Agriculture is an important sector of the mulching, harvesting, transportation etc, whereas
Indian economy. Agriculture in india is currently irrigation, threshing, winnowing, feed grinding, cane
growing at an average compound annual growth rate crushing, cotton ginning etc are example of
(CAGR) of 2.8% (Mehta et al, 2014). Agriculture stationary work.
worker, draught animals, tractors, power tillers, diesel 2. Methodology
engines, electric motors are used as sources of farm 2.1 Sources of Farm Power
power in Indian agriculture.Adequate farm power is The sources of farm power for various farm
required for timely farm operations and to increase operations in india are as: Human power
the production and productivity(Srivastva, 2006). 1. Animal power
The turn around time is reduced with the increase in 2. Tractors
cropping intensity and it becomes difficult to harvest 3. Power tillers
and thresh the standing crops,on one side and 4. Self propelled machines.
prepare seed bed and perform sowing operations of 5. Engines
subsequent crop,on other side, in the limited time 6. Electric power
available, but the use of adequate farm power have The first five sources are mobile power
made it possible. Farm power is the primary input to sources and remaining are the stationary power
perform different types of agricultural operations and sources. The power available from different sources
to operate various types of machinery like tillage, in India is shown in Table 1 and figure 1 shows the
planting, threshing, harvesting and irrigation etc. power availability on Indian farms from different
Farm work is categories into two types; one is sources (%).
tractive work and other is stationary work. The

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 CONTEMPORARY RESEARCH IN INDIA (ISSN 2231-2137): VOL. 7: ISSUE: 2 (2017)

Table 1. Farm power available (in millions) from different sources in Indian agriculture
Agricultural Power Engines
Year Animals Tractors
Workers tillers & Motors
1990-91 183 71 1.2 0.03 13
2000-01 215 60 2.54 0.11 20
2009-10 243 52.6 4.00 0.26 25
2013-14 272 52 5.237 0.441 25.5

100%
7
90% 4.66 49.29 16.76 22.29
80% 21.7
70% 7.4
60% 78
50% 21.6 2013-14
14.7 24.1
40% 1990-91
30% 25.2
20% 1960-61
10%
0% 2.54 3.29 1.88
Agricultural Animals Tractors & Diesel Engines Electric
Workers Power tillers motors

Figure 1: Power availability on Indian farms from different sources (%).

2.2 Human Power
Human power includes the power obtained
from men, women and child workers. The power of
male worker is consider as 0.060kW while for a
female worker is 0.048kW and for a child worker is
0.030kW. These agricultural workers perform
different farm operations and earn money. Indian
agriculture provides employment to 65%, livelihood
to 70%of population and about 14% of gross
domestic products (GDP) comes from agriculture.
Due to the involvement of this labour, the cost of
production of most of the crops increases. The
trends in figure 1 shown that with the passage time
the use of human power is reduced from 14.7% to
4.66%.
2.3 Animal Power
Animal power is mostly used for tractive
works. Bullock, buffaloes, camels and donkeys are
mainly used as draught animals. They can perform
different farm operations even under muddy and
rough field conditions, but are dependable source of
power. Due to the modernization in agriculture most
of the field operation are now being done with other
convenient and cheaper sources that is why the use
of animal power is reduced to a great extent as
shown in figure 1. The power obtained from animals
depends upon their body weight, so animals are
categories on the basis of their body weight as small
(200-300 kg), medium (300-400 kg) and heavy (400-
500 kg). In most of the States the pair weight of
draught animalsranges between 600-800 kg/pair and
power availabilityfrom them is only about 0.50-0.55
kW/pair.
2.4 Power from Tractors, Power tillersand Self
propelled machines
Tractors and power tillers fulfill the demand
of available power for timely farm operations and
increase cropping intensity. The use of tractors and
power tillers save time and labour, reduces the cost
of production, reduces post harvest loses and
increase the farm income. The production of tractor
and power tiller in India was started in 1960s and
now their annual production has crosses over 600000
and 50000 numbers respectively. The demand of
tractors has increased steeply but the demand of
power tillers has not grown that fast. The sale of

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 CONTEMPORARY RESEARCH IN INDIA (ISSN 2231-2137): VOL. 7: ISSUE: 2 (2017)
tractors in India has grown from 247531in 2004-05
to more than 690000 in 2013-14 during the last 10
years andexpected strong potential for future growth
as well. These tractors are available in different
ranges of horsepower. About 56.73% of the tractors
produced are in the range of 23.12-29.84 kW (31-40
hp), about 17.16% in the range of 30.38-37.3kW (41-
50 hp) and about 21.50% in the range of 15.66-23.38
kW (21-30 hp) (Mehta et al; 2014). The sale of more
than 50 hp tractors increased from 7.3% to 13.8%
during the last 13 years (2000-13). Similarly the sale
of tractors in the range of (41-50 hp) increased from
14.1% to 36.4% during the same period. It indicates
that requirement of higher power tractors in India
increased for using higher capacity machines on
800000
700000
600000
500000
400000 352835 346501 342836 393836
296080
300000 247531
200000
100000
0
Figure 2: Sale of tractors during last 10 years
The total sale of power tillers in 2001 was
16018 but the current market of power tillerin India
has gone up and down from 2009-10 to 2012-13 and
now it is estimated at 51851 during the 2013-2014.
The market for power tillers in India is mainly
concentrated in the eastern and southern parts of the
country owing to the small land holdings per farmer
in these regions and high cultivation of rice crops.
(Mehta et al, 2014) The major sales of power tillers
are in the States of West Bengal, Tamil Nadu,
58
custom hiring basis. During this same period the sale
of medium power tractors (31-40 hp) decreased from
55 to 40.4% and low power tractors (21-30 hp) from
23 to 6.3%. The sale of less than 21 hp tractors was
only 3.13% during 2012-13. The current trends in
sale of tractors in different power ranges in India
indicates the highest share of 40.4% for (31-40 hp)
tractors. Haryana has the highest tractor density of
84 tractors per thousand hectare of net sown area,
whereas Punjab is at second number by having
tractor density of 76 tractors and is followed by Utter
Pardesh (51), Bihar (44), and Tamil Nadu (43). The
lowest tractor density is in Kerela (4) and is followed
by Assam (9) and West Bengal (17) among the states
of India. (Srivastva, 2006)
696523
607658 590672
545109
Karnataka, Assam, Kerala, Orissa and Maharashtra.
The density of power tiller is 2.21 per thousand
hectare of net sown area. The power tillers market in
India is dominated by two players from south India
viz. VST Tillers Tractors Ltd., Banglore (Karnataka)
and Kerala Agro Machinery Corporation Ltd.
(KAMCO), Athani (Kerala) (Mehta et al, 2014). The
figure 3 shows the sale of power tillers from 2004-
2005 to 2013-2014.
 CONTEMPORARY RESEARCH IN INDIA (ISSN 2231-2137): VOL. 7: ISSUE: 2 (2017)

60000 55000 56874

51851
50000 46100
38794
40000 35294
30000 24791 26135
22303
17481
20000
10000
0

Figure 3: Sale of power tillers during last 10 years

The combine harvesters market in India is
estimated at 4,000-5,000 units annually by sales. The
tractor mounted combine harvesters occupy around
60% of the total combine harvesters market in India
and is followed by self-propelled combine harvesters
which represent 40% of the market(Mehta et
al,2014).The tractor mounted combine harvesters is
mainly concentrated in southern states viz. Tamil
Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka of the
country on custom hiring. Tractor operated combine
harvester, costing about 60-70% of the self propelled
combine are owned individually by farmers having
large size farms (> 4 ha). The self-propelled
combines are largely owned by custom-hiring
contractors (Singh, 2004). CLAAS India Ltd., Preet
Agro Industries Pvt Ltd, Balkar Combines, Vishal
Combines, Standard Combines, Kartar Agro
Industries Pvt Ltd, Hira Agro Industries and others
are some of the manufacturers based in Punjab state
that have a strong presence in the combine harvester
market in India.
2.5 Power from Engines and Motors
In 1960 the major contribution in farm
power was from human and animal power whereas
in 2013-2014 the major share is that of diesel engines
and electric motors. The share of diesel engines and
electric motors in farm power availability varied from
18.6 to 16.3% and 14 to 26.8% respectively during
the last 41 years. The figure 4 shows the trends of
power available from diesel engines and electric
motors during last 41 years. From these trends it is
predicted that the use of electric motors is increasing
as compare to diesel engines in these days. This is
due to the higher cost of diesel.

30
P
24 24 23.3
e 25 21.8 22.1 21.3 22.29
r 18.1 19.2 20.9 21.3 20.3 20.7
20 18 18.2
15.6 16.3
c 14
e 15
n 10 Electric motor
t Diesel Engine
5
a
g 0
e

year
Figure 4: Power available from diesel engines & electric motors(%)
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 CONTEMPORARY RESEARCH IN INDIA (ISSN 2231-2137): VOL. 7: ISSUE: 2 (2017)

3. Result availability and productivity increases from 0.32

3.1 Power availability and Productivity
It has been observed that the states with
higher farm power availability have more
productivity. The variation of farm power with
productivity is shown in figure 5. The farm power
kW/ha to 2.02 kW/ha and 0.636 t/ha to 2.11t/ha
respectively over the years from 1965-66 to 2013-14.
So to achieve higher production level, adequate farm
power is required.

Power availability and Productivity over the years

2.5

2
1.5 Power
available(kW/ha)
1
Productivity(t/ha)
0.5
0
1965-66 1975-76 1985-86 1995-96 2005-06 2009-10 2013-14

Figure 5: Power availability and production over the years

4. Conclusion from mechanical and electrical sources of power.
It is concluded that the composition and The percentage share of tractor and electric motors
relative share of different sources of power for farm in farm power availability increased from 2.54% to
operations have undergone significant changes 49.29% and 1.88% to 22.29% respectively during the
during the last four decades. The availability of last four decades. The share of diesel engines is
animal power has come down from 78% in 1960-61 almost the same as electric motors from 1960-61 to
to 7% in 2013-14. This is due to economical 2013-14. The growth of power tillers is less than 1%
considerations and convenience point of view. The during the same period. The overall mechanization
percentage share of agricultural workers in total level in India is only 40-45%. However the
power is also reduced from 14.7% in 1960-61 to mechanical and electrical power sources contribute
4.66% in 2013-14. The total share of agricultural 90% of the total farm power.
workers and animals in total farm power availability From the figure 5 it is predicted that the total farm
in Indian agriculture reduced from 92.7% in 1960-61 power availability on Indian farms has increased
to 11.60% during 2013-14. On the other hand the from 0.293 kW/ha to 2.02 kW/ha during last 41
additional demand of farm power is fulfilled mainly years.
Farm Power available from all sources (kW/ha)
2.5
2
1.5 Farm Power(…
1
0.5
0

Figure 6: Farm power availability from all sources over the years

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The average farm power available in India is
still at a low level as compare to other countries. It is
due to the various challenges related to farm
machinery and equipment, technology, markets,
operations, legislations, policy framework, and other
related areas.
The present paper conclude that the
availability of farm power is increasing over the years
and can be increase further if proper mechanization
of the farm operations is to be done.

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