The third largest tractor exporter from India and world’s largest tractor maker by volume, is looking to hitch a ride on the newly developed lightweight tractors it launched on Tuesday in Cape Town, South Africa, to cement its presence in three of its key markets including India, Asean and the USA. It is also hoping to enter almost a dozen new markets with the new launch. Including India, Mahindra sells tractors in 13 markets currently.
Developed at a cost of Rs1200 crore, the tractors have been developed in collaboration among the engineering teams of Mahindra Research Valley, India, the R&D center for Mahindra AFS and Mitsubishi Mahindra Agriculture Machinery, Japan. It ranges from 20 to 70 horsepower with varied transmission, engine, and power-to-weight ratio options and is targeted at the horticulture and paddy segments of the various markets.
“We started this journey in 2018. The idea behind the latest global tractor platform is to democratise farming globally by offering tractors packed with technology at an affordable price,” Rajesh Jejurikar, executive director, auto and farm equipment sectors, Mahindra & Mahindra said at the event.
With prices starting from Rs564,000 units (Pune), all the tractors equipped with a 4×4 transmission claim to be packed with technology and a flurry of features not typically seen in tractors.“Last year we exported 18000 tractors, and we want to take 36000 units in three years and OJA plays a very significant role in the same, ” Hemant Sikka, president, farm equipment sector, Mahindra, and Mahindra, told ET. In the last 50 years, Mahindra has reached the export level of 18000 units per annum, it is now eyeing doubling it in 3 years, said Sikka, he added.The newly developed tractor models will be made at the company’s Zaheerabad facility in Telangana. With an annual capacity of 100,000 units per annum, it claims to be the largest tractor plant in Asia at a single location. The plant, which churns out various other tractor models, can make 30,000 OJA tractors per annum and can be expanded to 50,000 units further, said Sikka. With the latest range, Mahindra expects to bring its share in the lightweight segment on par with national market share of 41.2%.Mahindra is presently the third largest tractor exporter from India and believes the new tractor models will help it tap into critical markets like the Asean—which has a market size of 80,000 units per annum.
Hoshiarpur-based International Tractors Ltd followed by John Deere are the largest and second largest tractor exporters from India. After the domestic launch in India the OJA range will subsequently be launched in North America, ASEAN, Brazil, Australia, South Africa, Europe and the SAARC region. The ASEAN region, where it’s making a debut, will start with Thailand in 2024.
“As any country develops—the requirement for tractors deployed for cereal crops tends to moderate while horticulture picks up and advances in high double-digit growth,” said Sikka. We have found that horticulture is growing at a faster pace than the others. Yuvo is for paddy crops, is heavy, cannot go inside. Canopy of a tree it requires to go to. We were serving it with Jivo – small but heavy. OJA is light targeted.
Disclaimer: The reporter was in Cape Town, South Africa on the invitation of Mahindra & Mahindra