“The Indian Government has launched a mission of ‘Atmanirbhar’ in which they have initiated to be ‘Vocal for Local’. This will be revolutionary for Indian Manufacturers and will put the Indian Economy in a different orbit,” says Mr. Satish Movaliya, Director, Captain Tractors during his talks with Saurabh Dwivedi, Associate Editor, Business of Agriculture on the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak. Mr. Movaliya also talks in detail about their outreach programmes, effects of climate change, challenges for Indian farmers, their future roadmap along with many other related issues.
Captain Tractors has strongly established its base in domestic and overseas markets with its compact tractors and implements. Please talk about its journey so far.
Captain Tractors had been established in 1994 by joint efforts of two brothers Mr. G.T. Patel and Mr. M.T. Patel. Being grown up in a farmer’s family, they were much aware of economic challenges as well as other challenges in the life of small and marginal farmers. They had invested themselves for innovations for the machine which can give the total farming solution at affordable prices. Finally, after hard workmanship, they became successful and First Indigenous Mini Tractor had been introduced in the Indian market which was economic, fuel-efficient, powerful and multipurpose. In India, 80 percent of the farmers are small and marginal farmers and Captain Tractor became the boon for them as it is affordable for them. Our mission is to reach every farmer and lead their lives through various solutions to farm mechanization for the revolution of agriculture.
We manufacture Mini tractors in the range of 15-30 HP. Development from 1st to the 7th Generation Mini Tractor glorifies the Journey of teamwork, intelligence and dedication of our team. Additionally, we have also manufactured mini tractor’s implements. Till date, we have a range of 100+ implements providing a 360-degree farming solution to the farmers. We manufacture implements from Land Preparation to the Harvesting and Transportation processes. We also manufacture implements for cleaning, sanitizing, sweeping, grass cutting, loading as well as water transport processes. Nonetheless, the operating cost of the Mini Tractor and its implements is also pocket friendly.
Today, we have 150+ channel partners across India and we are exporting our products in 50+ countries. To continue and beautify our saga, 280+ ambitious employees are affiliated and they make Captain Tractors… a Family.
What are your plans for the next five years for both domestic and international markets? What is your post-COVID-19 strategy?
COVID-19 pandemic affected highly on Indian Economy. Especially, it became the hardest to survive for many MSMEs because of continuous lockdown strategy. As a relief package to support MSMEs, the central government has invested 3 lakh crore rupees. Moreover, the Indian Government has launched a mission of ‘vkRefuHkZjHkkjr’ in which they have initiated to be ‘Vocal for Local’. This will be revolutionary for Indian Manufacturers and will put the Indian Economy in a different orbit. Being a proud Indigenous Manufacturer, we are looking forward to this opportunity that we could enlighten the lives of more and more farmers and could contribute to the development and growth of the country.
What role does technology play in agriculture?
Technology has played a huge role in building the agricultural industry. Mechanization is a vital input for agricultural crop production and one that historically has been ignored in the context of developing countries. Sustainable agricultural mechanization can also contribute considerably to the growth of value chains and food systems as it has the potential to render postharvest, processing and marketing activities and functions more efficient, effective and environmentally friendly.
How can we educate farmers on the benefits of technology for the development of rural areas?
The need for improvement in agricultural education throughout the world can never be ignored. In some parts of India, farmers are still using the primitive farming method. This is the reason we have developed mini tractors keeping small and marginal farmers in mind. It is a one-stop solution for farmers as it can be used from land repression to harvesting. The Captain Mini Tractor can prove to be a blessing for small farmers who wish to achieve fast progress in farming.
How can we tackle climate change?
As our climate continues to heat up and the impacts of that warming grow more frequent, farmers and farm communities around the world will be increasingly challenged. At, Captain Tractors, we have a vision of reaching to each farmer and enlighten their lives by bringing a revolution in agriculture. To satisfy the farmers at their fullest, we have started with diverse categories range of implements. Also, with the help of storage facilities and transportation developments, we can tackle the implications of climate change and the farmer can save his crops from rain as well.
Is there any farming method that can help the farmers?
Because crop cultivation and farming involve heavy labour and a range of different procedures, it would be nearly impossible to do so by hand. Machinery and tools have become a necessity for farming in this day and age. We have developed tractors implements for easy farming.
How can we expand export opportunities?
I think the government must educate the farmers about the conditions and nature of crops so they can indulge themselves in more productive methods. The export quality of the product plays an important role in the international market.
The views reflected in the article are the opinions of the author in a personal capacity and do not reflect the views of his employers.
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