Scientists Develop Advanced Sowing Machine to Make Farming Easier and More Profitable

Key Highlights

• New sowing machine developed by CIAE, Bhopal.

• Performs multiple tasks like bed making, mulching, and planting.

• Saves 89% labour and 43% sowing cost per hectare.

• Suitable for high-value crops like corn, peas, beans, okra.

• The Agriculture Minister praised it as a revolutionary tool.

In a big step towards modern and efficient farming, Indian scientists have developed a special sowing machine that will help farmers save time, labour, and money. This new machine, called the Tractor Driven Plastic Mulch Layer-cum-Planter Machine, has been designed by the scientists at ICAR - Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering (CIAE), Bhopal.

Let’s understand what this machine does and how it benefits farmers.

What is the Tractor Driven Plastic Mulch Layer-cum-Planter Machine?

This is a multi-purpose machine that can be connected to a tractor. It performs several important farming tasks in one go. It builds raised high beds, lays drip irrigation pipes, covers the beds with plastic mulch, and sows seeds beneath the mulch — all at the same time.

Earlier, farmers needed 29 man-days per hectare to do these tasks manually. Now, with this machine, all of it can be done in a single step, reducing time, effort, and costs significantly.

How Does This Sowing Machine Work?

This innovative machine uses a combination of hydraulic systems, motors, chain-sprocket transmissions, and an eccentric slider crank mechanism. The seed is picked and sown precisely using a punch planting mechanism, which works with a pneumatic seed plate and blower operated through the tractor’s PTO (Power Take-Off).

This mechanism ensures that seeds are planted at the correct depth under the plastic mulch without any damage or loss, improving seed germination and overall crop performance.

Key Features and Specifications

• Working Capacity: 0.2 hectares per hour

• Working Efficiency: 74%

• Operating Speed: 1.7 km/hr

• Working Width: 1 meter

These features make it highly efficient for medium to large scale farmers who want to save time and maximize productivity.

What is the Price of This Machine?

The Tractor Driven Plastic Mulch Layer-cum-Planter costs around ₹3 lakh. The operating cost is approximately ₹1500 per hour. Despite this cost, it proves to be economical in the long run. The pay-back period is 1.9 years (around 444 hours of usage), and the break-even point is just 70 hours per year.

Cost and Labour Savings

Using this machine can save up to 26 man-days per hectare (89%) and around ₹6600 per hectare (43%) in sowing costs. This is especially beneficial for farmers growing high-value crops, where precision and efficiency are very important.

Suitable Crops for This Machine

This planter machine is ideal for sowing a variety of vegetables and commercial crops like:

• Melon

• Cucumber

• Sweet Corn

• Baby Corn

• Green Peas

• Okra

• Beans

Farmers can sow these crops while maintaining a row spacing of 0.5 to 0.9 meters and plant spacing of 0.2 to 0.6 meters, which is perfect for uniform growth.

Agriculture Minister’s Appeal to Farmers

On Sunday, June 22, Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chauhan visited the CIAE institute and observed the machine in action. He praised the scientists for their innovation and called the planter machine a “revolutionary tool” for Indian farmers.

The Minister also appealed to farmers to adopt this new technology to save on labour costs, reduce production expenses, and increase their profits. He emphasized that modern machinery and techniques are essential to double farmer’s income and make farming profitable and sustainable.

Also Read: Global 4WD Tractor Market to Reach $24.19 Billion by 2029, Driven by Smart Farming Growth

CMV360 Says

The Tractor Driven Plastic Mulch Layer-cum-Planter Machine is a game-changer for Indian agriculture. Developed by CIAE, this machine allows farmers to save time, reduce labour costs, and increase productivity. With support from the government, such innovations can boost the income and efficiency of Indian farmers.