TAFE announces free tractor rental scheme to support small farmers of Tamil Nadu as COVID Relief

The total outlay towards all of TAFE’s contributions to Tamil Nadu state for COVID relief is Rs.15 Crore

22 May, 2021

May 22, 2021 | Chennai: TAFE - Tractors and Farm Equipment Limited, the world’s third largest tractor manufacturer and a member of the Amalgamations Group, in a continuing effort to support the Government amidst the second wave of the COVID surge, announced its free tractor rental scheme to support small farmers of Tamil Nadu during this critical cropping season. This free tractor rental scheme is in addition to its earlier contribution of oxygen concentrators, procurement of oxygen cylinders and support to the planned mass immunisation program. The total outlay towards all of TAFE’s contributions to COVID relief is Rs.15 Crores.

The free tractor rental scheme would cover approximately 1,20,000 acres and will benefit around 50,000 farmers. It will be available from May 2021 through July 2021 across Tamil Nadu. TAFE will offer its 16,500 Massey Ferguson and Eicher tractors and 26,800 implements on a “free-of-cost” rental basis to small farmers owning 2 acres or less. Farmers can rent or hire tractors or farm implements using TAFE’s digital platform on the TN Govt’s Uzhavan app or the toll-free helpline 1800-4200-100. The scheme will be implemented with the support of the Agriculture Department of Tamil Nadu and their district officials. 

TAFE’s Chairman and Managing Director - Mallika Srinivasan said, “With the encouragement and support of the Tamil Nadu Government, TAFE is happy to offer free-of-cost rental services to the small and marginal farmers of Tamil Nadu. TAFE will offer its Massey Ferguson and Eicher tractors along with farm implements to support the small and marginal farmers through this critical time and crucial cropping season. We thank the Hon’ble Chief Minister for his focus on farmer welfare and the Hon’ble Agricultural Minister for their support towards the free tractor rental scheme.”

About TAFE: tafe.com

The world’s third largest tractor manufacturer and second largest in India by volumes with an annual sale of about 180,000 tractors; TAFE is one of the leading exporters of tractors from India with a turnover in excess of INR 10,000 Crores. TAFE manufactures a range of tractors, in both the air-cooled and water-cooled platforms, and markets them under its four iconic brands - Massey Ferguson, TAFE, Eicher, and the recently acquired Serbian tractor and agricultural equipment brand - Industrija Mašina i Traktora (IMT). Acclaimed for its quality and dependability, TAFE’s products and services are present in over 100 countries across the world, including developed countries in Europe and the Americas.

Besides tractors and farm machinery, TAFE manufactures diesel engines, silent gensets, agro engines, batteries, hydraulic pumps and cylinders, gears and transmission components, and has business interest in vehicle franchises and plantations. TAFE is committed to the Total Quality Movement (TQM). In the recent past various manufacturing plants of TAFE have garnered numerous ‘TPM Excellence Awards’ from the Japan Institute of Plant Maintenance (JIPM), as well as a number of other regional awards for TPM excellence. TAFE became the first Indian tractor manufacturer to win the Frost & Sullivan Global Manufacturing Leadership Award in 2018, being recognized with the ‘Enterprise Integration and Technology Leadership Award’ and two ‘Supply Chain Leadership Awards’. In recognition of its outstanding contribution to engineering exports, TAFE has been named the ‘Star Performer – Large Enterprise (Agricultural Tractors)’ at the 40th Engineering Exports Promotion Council of India – Southern Region Awards (2015-16), for the 21st time in a row. TAFE has also been conferred the ‘Regional Contributor Award’ for quality supplies from Toyota Motor Company, Japan, and the ‘Manufacturing Supply Chain Operational Excellence - Automobiles Award’ at the second Asia Manufacturing Supply Chain Summit for its supply chain transformation in 2013. TAFE's tractor plants are certified under ISO 9001 for efficient quality management systems and under ISO 14001 for environment friendly operations.

About 'JFarm' and 'JFarm Services': JFarmServices.in

TAFE established JFarm India in Chennai, Tamil Nadu in 1964 with an objective of empowering farmers with advanced farm technologies to increase farm productivity and meet India’s growing food demands. Over the years, JFarm focuses on sustainable agriculture, adapting existing technologies in farming for local farming conditions and sharing this knowledge with farmers.

JFarm Services is an initiative by TAFE to increase easy access to farm mechanization solutions through rental of tractors and farm equipment for small and large farms, localized weather forecast, latest mandi prices, agri-news alerts and advisory.

Small and marginal farmers, who hold about 85% of the land holdings in India may not be able to afford ownership of tractors or implements. JFarm Services bridges this gap by connecting these farmers with tractor and equipment owners through its Farmer-2-Farmer platform.

JFarm Services since its creation has impacted the lives of about 2,600,000 farmers across 13 states in India since its inception. Currently, JFarm Services (JFS) operates in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh (MP), Uttar Pradesh (UP), Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Assam and Gujarat - making farm mechanization viable and affordable to all.