<b>Surinder Sud</b>: Quality gap in implements

Farmers who use mediocre machinery lose out on the gains that are normally expected from cultivation

Precision in farm operations is the mantra for more efficient farming to get higher production at lower costs. This is vital also to raise farmers’ income and make their produce competitive in the domestic and export markets. For this, more and more farm chores need to be mechanised as manual operations usually fall short on perfection. Also, agricultural tools and machines need to be designed and manufactured with precision angle in view. Unfortunately, that is not so at present.
 

Most farm implements, made in tiny, cottage or small-scale sectors without following the prescribed standards or using good quality material, are generally of indifferent quality and poor design. These are unfit to carry out the tasks with desired precision. Even relatively more sophisticated appliances made in the small- and medium-scale industries, such as water pumps, cultivators, harrows, seed drills, sprayers and threshers, are generally found wanting on this count.
 

Large industrial units using precision-enabling manufacturing technologies normally churn out better quality and more efficient farm equipment. But these appliances are usually costlier than nondescript implements available in the market and, therefore, are disadvantaged in terms of sales. Availability of government subsidies regardless of the product attributes is one of the reasons for lack of quality consciousness in the unorganised farm machinery sector. The unwary farmers, who go in for mediocre machinery, generally lose out on the gains that can normally be expected from mechanised cultivation. Besides, second-rate implements often result in inefficient use of costly farm inputs like seeds, fertilisers, pesticides, water, power and fuel.
 

Precision farming is meant chiefly to save on time, costs and drudgery besides higher proficiency and yields. Though these goals are vital for all kinds of farming but they are more so for rainfed agriculture where the need for economical and productive use of limited resources is most critical. Studies quoted in a recent policy paper (No. 84) on “precision in farm equipment and machinery”, issued by the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS), indicate that 20 to 30 per cent saving of time and labour is possible with the use of better tools and machines. Besides, it helps increase productivity and production by 10 to 15 per cent and cropping intensity by five to 10 per cent. At the same time, it facilitates 15 and 20 per cent economy of cash inputs like seeds, fertilisers and chemicals.
 

Irrigation is the one sector where the need for efficiency enhancement is the most urgent. Most farmers do not fully appreciate that watering an unlevel field can cause 20 to 25 per cent loss of water, besides resulting in uneven wetting of land and, hence, asymmetrical crop stand. Moreover, such fields usually witness higher weed infestation, irregular crop maturity and below par crop yields and product quality.
 

Water pumps fabricated in the cottage and small-scale sector are particularly poor in performance. The NAAS paper puts the overall efficiency of commonly available pumps at merely 45 per cent, against the desired level of at least 60 per cent. These pumps normally consume much more energy than is required though most farmers getting heavily subsidised or free power do not usually bother about it. Such extravagant use of energy needs to be curbed by all means. Apart from improving the efficiency of pumps with better manufacturing technology, some agronomic measures, too, can help cut down wasteful use of power and water in agriculture. Significant ones among them are levelling of land with laser rays-guided land levelling equipment and planting crops like paddy, wheat, maize, groundnut, sugarcane and others on ridges and raised beds, rather than on flat ground. Such steps, besides reducing wastages, will boost crop yield. In the case of micro-irrigation, the use of precision-focused water dispensing systems can enhance crop productivity even while economising on water. This aside, there is plenty of scope also for enhancing efficiency of pesticides spraying equipment. These gadgets should, ideally, have provisions for recalibration before each use. Regrettably, neither farmers nor many manufacturers of these equipment are as sensitive to this vital aspect as they should be.

surinder.sud@gmail.com