Rotary cultivators are a huge product for Indian manufacturer Shaktiman, which brought the newest model to Agritechnica – the 6.0m Jumbo.

Joining the 3.0m and 4.0m models, the wider version weighs around 5.0t with a packer. Working to a maximum depth of 130mm, power requirement is from 250-300hp.

Shaktiman branded machines are made by Indian manufacturer Tirth Agro Technology. International business manager Abhishek Malaviya reckons that Shaktiman is the world’s largest manufacturer of rotary cultivators. “We make 26 different models, and a total of around 130,000 units a year,” he said. “10,000 end up in Europe, which is the number one export market.”

The Shaktiman brand also includes self-propelled rice, sugar cane and cotton harvesters. The hefty 150-page A4 brochure also lists grass rakes, tedders, round balers, mixer wagons, drills, ploughs as well as mounted and self-propelled sprayers, including the new electrically powered Protektor 600EV high clearance version.

Shaktiman also makes balers and brought the fixed chamber SRB-120 round baler to the German show. Producing 1.2 x 1.2m diameter bales, the 13-bladed chopper produces a cut length of 9.0cm. Equipped with a digital bale counter, in India it is not just used to bale wheat straw, but also rice and even sugar cane.  

 

Mr Malaviya added that combined production from the three factories (all close to Mumbai) is around 170,000 machines a year. Rotary cultivators are so important that they fill up an entire plant.

International business manager Abhishek Malaviya said that Shaktiman currently make around 170,000 machines a year. “We are on the way to an annual total of 200,000. Around 70% of all the machine we make stay in India. The rest is exported.”

The current three facilities are about to be joined by a fourth one to build combines, sugar cane, cotton and maize grain harvesters and balers. When finished, the total manufacturing area of the four plants will cover 40ha (100 acres).

Europe is the biggest export market and is the destination of 3,000 of the 7,000 power harrows made by Shaktiman each year (widest is 6.0m). Most end up in Germany, Italy, France and the Netherlands.

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