Farm equipment makers are looking for exemption from lockdown to run their product sales and service centres to cater to the farmers’ requirement during the rabi harvest time. Crops these kinds of as wheat and gram are completely ready for harvest throughout North India.
The Centre has exempted farm inputs these kinds of as fertilisers, seeds and pesticides from the lockdown. While the inter- and intra-Condition movement of farm equipment these kinds of as brings together and harvesters are authorized, the implementation of the order is inadequate on the ground.
“We are urging the govt to look at inserting farm equipment in the exempt class and allow for operations of product sales and service centres,” explained Shenu Agarwal, CEO of Escorts’ Farm Machinery business enterprise.
Farmers would need to have to get their tractors and other equipment fixed ahead of the harvest time. Any equipment procured two a long time back wants some repair or service. Moveover, equipment these kinds of as threshers, which are applied only during the harvest time, wants maintenance service right before use again. Also, some farmers would like to invest in some new equipment or spares to have out harvesting and subsequent sowing operations, Agarwal explained.
While States these kinds of as Haryana and Bihar have exempted farm equipment from the lockdown, product sales and service centres are not authorized to purpose at the ground level, Agarwal explained.