Farm Mechanization in Bangaru Telangana

Farm Mechanization
Mechanization of agriculture will help in increasing the productivity and reduce the cost of cultivation and also enable the farmer to complete farming operations in time. Farm mechanisation in the State is accentuated by the shortage in agriculture labour due to increased migration of rural workers to urban areas. Mechanization possibility is strongly influenced by the farm size, cost of farm labour, machines and energy. However, most of the farming is carried out on small holdings in the State, farming system continues to utilize manual power, animal power and tractor power. In order to bring more land under cultivation and to improve productivity per unit area it is necessary to introduce other sources of power like tractors, power tillers and renewable energy.

Depending on the types of crops grown, soil conditions, local situations and requirements in the districts, the Department of Agriculture is contemplating to distribute various farm machinery and implements on subsidy basis.

The Farm Mechanization Scheme is being implemented in the State for encouraging mechanisation of farming by supplying various farm implements i.e. animal drawn implements, tractor drawn implements, high cost machinery, mini tractors, post-harvest equipment, plant protection equipment, inter-cultivation equipment HDPE tarpaulins and establishment of Custom Hiring Centers for paddy land preparation package, CHC for cotton, maize, paddy harvesting & mini sugarcane package. The subsidy proposed under this scheme is 50 percent and the maximum permissible limit varies depending on the type of machinery. Apart from this, Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana and Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization are also being implemented for advance farm mechanisation.
Box 3. Success Stories of Farm Mechanization

Custom Hiring Centre for Cotton

Shri Anjaneya Rythu Mithra Group was formed in March 2015 in Pagidipalli village of Kamalapur Mandal, Karimnagar district to set up Custom Hiring Centre (CHC) for supply of farm machines to cultivate cotton crop by mechanized operations. The Group was supplied with Tractor, Rotovator, Multi Crop Planter, Power Weeder and Boom Sprayer at a subsidised rate. The farmers of Pagidipalli are now happy that they are making use of tractor and the rotovator for field preparation. The service is extended to farmers in the village on fixed charges. Many of the farmers in the village are hopeful of taking up cotton sowings in time. In addition the tractor is engaged on hire for “Mission Kakatiya”. The Shri Anjaneya Rythu Mithra Group is charging Rs. 80 to 150, for shifting of tank silt to nearby fields of the farmers to enrich the soil physical condition and fertility.

Custom Hiring Centre for Cotton Shri Anjaneya Rythu Mithra Group was formed in March 2015 in Pagidipalli village of Kamalapur Mandal, Karimnagar district to set up Custom Hiring Centre (CHC) for supply of farm machines to cultivate cotton crop by mechanized operations. The Group was supplied with Tractor, Rotovator, Multi Crop Planter, Power Weeder and Boom Sprayer at a subsidised rate. The farmers of Pagidipalli are now happy that they are making use of tractor and the rotovator for field preparation. The service is extended to farmers in the village on fixed charges. Many of the farmers in the village are hopeful of taking up cotton sowings in time. In addition the tractor is engaged on hire for “Mission Kakatiya”. The Shri Anjaneya Rythu Mithra Group is charging Rs. 80 to 150, for shifting of tank silt to nearby fields of the farmers to enrich the soil physical condition and fertility. Seed Cum Ferti-Drill Sri. Narsimhulu, a resident of Mogdumpur village, Mahabubnagar district purchased the tractor drawn ferti cum seed drill on subsidy. Using the new ferti cum seed drill he has sown maize in his 8 acre land within a day. The farmer is satisfied with the performance of the implement, since basic application of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizer is a smooth affair ensuring even distribution in the field and uniform placement in the soil at a desired depth along the seed rows, yielding excellent population stand. He further explains that there is saving in labour cost, fertilizer application and sowing operations. He is anticipating higher yield advantage with optimum plant stand and uniform crop growth, which was not possible with his traditional practices of country seed drill and conventional application of fertilizers.

Custom Hiring Centre for Cotton
Shri Anjaneya Rythu Mithra Group was formed in March 2015 in Pagidipalli village of Kamalapur Mandal, Karimnagar district to set up Custom Hiring Centre (CHC) for supply of farm machines to cultivate cotton crop by mechanized operations. The Group was supplied with Tractor, Rotovator, Multi Crop Planter, Power Weeder and Boom Sprayer at a subsidised rate.

The farmers of Pagidipalli are now happy that they are making use of tractor and the rotovator for field preparation. The service is extended to farmers in the village on fixed charges. Many of the farmers in the village are hopeful of taking up cotton sowings in time. In addition the tractor is engaged on hire for “Mission Kakatiya”. The Shri Anjaneya Rythu Mithra Group is charging Rs. 80 to 150, for shifting of tank silt to nearby fields of the farmers to enrich the soil physical condition and fertility.

Seed Cum Ferti-Drill

Sri. Narsimhulu, a resident of Mogdumpur village, Mahabubnagar district purchased the tractor drawn ferti cum seed drill on subsidy. Using the new ferti cum seed drill he has sown maize in his 8 acre land within a day. The farmer is satisfied with the performance of the implement, since basic application of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizer is a smooth affair ensuring even distribution in the field and uniform placement in the soil at a desired depth along the seed rows, yielding excellent population stand. He further explains that there is saving in labour cost, fertilizer application and sowing operations. He is anticipating higher yield advantage with optimum plant stand and uniform crop growth, which was not possible with his traditional practices of country seed drill and conventional application of fertilizers.

Agricultural Marketing
Efficient agricultural markets are important for determining right and remunerative prices for agricultural commodities. Telangana is one of the few states where the Agricultural Produce Market Committees are functioning well and are accessible to farmers. In order to strengthen this infrastructure, Government has been taking various initiatives such as (i) Establishing new Market Committees and (ii) undertaking agricultural marketing reforms, (iii) Construction of scientific godowns and (iv) Streamlining of existing marketing program.

(i) Agricultural Marketing System: The regulated agricultural marketing system in the State is operating through a network of Agricultural Market Committees. There are 183 Agricultural Market Committees in Telangana State. The Government has taken steps to establish 33 more new Market Committees for the benefit of farmers.

(ii) Agricultural Marketing reforms: To bring about suitable changes in the Agricultural Marketing a State level committee is constituted in July, 2014. The committee has submitted its report recommending comprehensive electronic platform services i.e., Computerized Auction system, Check post automation, online filing of returns, Generation of Electronic transport permits, office automation etc., and also quality based pricing and warehouse based sales for online trading.
Construction of scientific godowns: The Government, in collaboration with NABARD, has proposed to construct godowns at 330 locations with Storage Capacity of 17.075 lakh metric tonnes with an estimated cost of Rs. 1024.50 crore (see Table 3.9).

Table 3.9: District wise details are Godowns being constructed in Telangana

Sl. No	Name of the District	Number of Godowns being constructed	Capacity (in Metric tonnes)	Amount (Rs. in Crore)
1	Mahabubnagar	54	3,07,500	184.5
2	Medak	43	2,30,000	138.0
3	Rangareddy	19	82,500	49.5
4	Nalgonda	31	1,55,000	93.0
5	Khammam	25	1,17,500	70.5
6	Nizamabad	32	1,65,000	99.0
7	Warangal	45	2,17,500	130.5
8	Karimnagar	36	1,82,500	109.5
9	Adilabad	45	2,50,000	150.0
	Total:-	330	17,07,500	1,024.5

Source: Department of Agricultural Marketing, Government of Telangana

(iv) Renewed efforts are being put to the existing scheme such as Rythu Bandu Pathakam, Mana Kuragayalu and Rythu Bazars in terms of finances and infrastructure.