The world’s largest manufacturer of tractors by volume, Mahindra & Mahindra’s Farm Equipment Sector has launched a new range of rice transplanters in Telangana. A rice planter is a specialised machine that ensures the uniform transplantation of paddy saplings. Mahindra’s rice transplanters have been designed by Mitsubishi Mahindra Agricultural Machinery of Japan and have been customised to the needs of Indian rice farmers. The new technology will help increase yield and overcome issues related to a labour shortage that have surfaced during these difficult times.

The Mahindra PlantingMaster Paddy 4RO is India’s first 4-row ride-on type rice transplanter, and its new technology offers state-of-the-art features, quality and ease of operation.

At INR 7.5 lakh, the Mahindra PlantingMaster Paddy 4RO is the most competitively priced transplanter in India. It is best suited for farmers with larger holdings and rental entrepreneurs. It comes with four-wheel drive technology, power steering, smile U-turn-180-degree turning radius, and a host of features for driver comfort and convenience.

For smaller farms, there is Mahindra MP461, a walk-behind model, priced at just INR 2.8 lakh.

Commenting on the importance of mechanisation in rice farming, Hemant Sikka, President – Mahindra Farm Equipment Sector, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., said, “At Mahindra, we want to change the way rice farming is done. Despite India being the second-largest rice-producing country in the world, our rice cultivation continues to be under-mechanised. While mechanisation in land preparation and rice harvesting is widespread, less than one per cent of rice transplanting is mechanised. The mechanisation of rice transplanting will allow timeliness and speed of operations, lower cost of cultivation and increased yields. With the introduction of our new portfolio of rice transplanters, with our partners Mitsubishi Mahindra Agricultural Machinery of Japan, we want to enable income growth for millions of Indian rice farmers, including in Telangana, where farmers are also experiencing challenges related to labour shortage due to COVID.”

Mechanised transplanting offers uniformity in planting depth, plant-to-plant distance, row-to-row distance as well as number of saplings per spot. With uniform spacing, each plant gets equal nutrients, proper sunlight, and adequate airflow, thus ensuring a healthier crop and, as a result, higher yields.

Talking about the launch of the Mahindra PlantingMaster Paddy 4RO, Kairas Vakharia – Senior Vice President, Farm Machinery, M&M Ltd., said, “We are proud to launch our portfolio of rice transplanters in Telangana. Farmers in Telangana who tried this new technology last season reported growth in crop yields of 10 per cent and more. Designed and developed by our partners, Mitsubishi Mahindra Agricultural Machinery of Japan, the new rice transplanters offer high precision, are durable and have a lower operating cost. They are backed by Mahindra’s extensive services and spares network and help augment our presence in the rice transplanter market in India.”

Mahindra’s rice transplanters come with the ability to accommodate different paddy varieties, agronomic practices and field conditions. Farmers will now be able to set the machine for plant-to-plant distance and even set the planting depth.

Besides services and spares, Mahindra and its network of dealers also offer training to farmers on paddy nursery preparation and transplanter operation and maintenance.