After winning a big presence in the market for electronics, power equipment and other such items, the dragon has now forayed into Indian farms. Cheap Chinese agricultural equipment are becoming popular.
With the rabi season approaching, the rural and semi-urban market in eastern Uttar Pradesh is flooded with Chinese farm equipment. The diesel pumping sets, cultivators, land levellers, harrows and water-lifting pumps made in China are in great demand.
The diesel pumpsets made in China are not only cheap but can be easily carried from one place to another. Besides being cheaper by Rs 5,000 than the Indian ones, the weight of a Chinese pumpset is just 44 kg, half of a comparative Indian one.
The China-made water lifting pumps are especially attractive to small and marginal farmers, specially those engaged in the farming of fruit and vegetables.
According to one of them, Karan Singh, the Chinese water lifting pumps carry no guarantee or warranty and are also not as powerful as the Indian one. However, due to its cheap price, half of an Indian-made one, farmers are opting for it.
He said the groundwater level in the Terai region of UP was better; hence, the Chinese pumps do a good enough job for the fruit and vegetable farmers. According to Singh, the Chinese pumps are easily available for just Rs 1,000, while the Indian ones cost Rs 3,000.
Similarly, the Chinese cultivator is available for Rs 10,000, while the Indian one is priced at Rs 13,200. According to a wholesale dealer of farm equipment, Bhim Singh, earlier the Chinese equipments were brought only on demand. Now, it has become a necessity for any shopkeeper to stock.
He said the Chinese diesel pumpsets consume less fuel compared to the domestic ones — 400 ml diesel an hour, while the Indian ones consume at least 700 ml.