Sales of new tractors in India have hovered at record levels of over 700,000 for the second successive year, and it is with this positive news that the sixth edition of Eima Agrimach farm machinery show opened yesterday in New Delhi.
The venue is the Indian Institute of Agricultural Research, and the 400+ exhibitors are spread over a 15,000m² exhibition area of static stands and working demonstrations.
With 140 million hectares of cultivated land, India is about to transform its agricultural sector. Driven by a government policy that aims to increase farmers’ incomes (60% of the approximately 1.3 billion inhabitants live in rural areas) by 2022, the plan is to double the value of India’s agricultural produce exports from US$30 billion to US$60 billion by 2022.
Increased mechanisation will be the driver and financial support is available for farmers to buy new tractors and machines. Water management is viewed as another crucial key to the success of the 2020 plan because more than half of the 140 million hectares of cultivated land in the country is at the mercy of the monsoons while drought is a problem in the rest of the country.
Organised by FICCI (Indian Federation of Chamber of Commerce and Industry) and the Italian Agricultural Machinery Manufacturers Association (FederUnacoma), the three-day show ends tomorrow December 7. The last show two years ago was attended by 42,000 visitors.
