Coronavirus lockdown | TAFE expands free tractor rental scheme to Rajasthan, UP to help marginal farmers

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Farm equipment major TAFE is expanding its free tractor rental scheme to Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh to help small and marginal farmers during the coronavirus pandemic.

The company, which on April 2 announced the scheme to help small farmers in Tamil Nadu, said it will be offering a total of around 14,000 tractors and 62,000 implements rent-free in the two states for 90 days.

TAFE Chairman and Managing Director Mallika Srinivasan told PTI that the step has been taken to mitigate the impact of coronavirus pandemic on small and marginal farmers and the company would bear the cost of renting the tractors and implements.

"We had a good monsoon and the water level was good. The prospects for the Rabi crop were looking very good. At that time, the unfortunate thing has come and hit us.

"So, from our side, what we are trying to do is a measure to support at this very crucial juncture, where they (farmers) have to have a good income from their current crop and be doing timely preparation for the next crop," she said.

From April 6, TAFE will start in a small way in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, she said.

Sharing the scale of the initiative in the two states, she said in Rajasthan the company would have about 11,000 and 50,000 implements covering over 20 key districts, and in Uttar Pradesh about 3,000 tractors and 12,000 implements in over 20 districts.

The scheme will be for a period of 90 days starting from April 6, Srinivasan said.

Already in Tamil Nadu the company is offering 4,400 tractors and over 15,000 implements across 30 districts rent-free for 90 days, starting from April 1.

Srinivasan also expressed gratitude to the governments of the three states for their support in making the scheme happen considering the restrictions due to the ongoing lockdown.

The scheme in being offered through its JFarm Services platform on the Uzhavan App for Massey Ferguson and Eicher brands of tractors.

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