Agriculture Ministry urges farm machinery industry to move towards green-fuel-based technologies

New Delhi [India], November 30 (ANI): The 9th International Exhibition and Conference on Agri-Machinery, Equipment and Agri-Tech Solutions, EIMA Agrimach India 2025, concluded in New Delhi with the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare urging the farm machinery industry to move towards green-fuel-based technologies. The event, jointly organised by FICCI and Italy's agriculture industry body FederUnacoma, focused on sustainable mechanisation for India's farm sector.

Held at the IARI grounds in Pusa from November 27 to 29, the exhibition attracted nearly 20,000 farmers, largely from Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, and Odisha. According to a release issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, over 4,000 domestic dealers and distributors, more than 180 companies from India and abroad, and 100 foreign buyers attended. Italy was the partner country, with other nations including the Netherlands, Japan, the USA, and Poland also taking part.

Delivering the keynote address, Devesh Chaturvedi, Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, called for a shift towards environmentally friendly farm technologies. "Over the next 5-10 years, we should shift our technologies towards green fuels, whether electrically operated tractors or machines running on compressed biogas (CBG). This transition will bring down both maintenance and operational costs for farmers. Our schemes will increasingly prioritize green-fuel-based technologies," he said.

Chaturvedi also urged the industry to design gender-friendly equipment, noting that women farmers play a crucial role in achieving India's agricultural goals. He said that with 2026 being declared the International Year of Women Farmers by the United Nations, the focus must be on reducing their workload through practical design improvements. "Most difficult agricultural tasks are performed by women, and hence we need more gender-friendly equipment, whether manual or motorized, that genuinely reduces their workload," he added.

Italian Ambassador to India, Antonio Bartoli, expressed hope that an agriculture attache would soon be appointed at the Italian Embassy in New Delhi to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the farm sector. Joint Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Anbalagan P., praised the large turnout of farmers and the active participation of domestic and foreign companies, calling it a sign of the exhibition's success.

T. R. Kesavan, Chairman of the Organizing Committee and Group President at TAFE, said the industry must promote "agriculture as a service," suggesting that sharing machinery like seeders would be more cost-effective for small farmers.

FederUnacoma Director General Simona Rapastella highlighted strong prospects for India-Italy collaboration, citing an Italian Trade Agency report that valued India's agri-machinery sector at USD 13.7 billion in 2023 and projected it to reach USD 31.6 billion by 2033.

A FICCI-PwC report titled 'Farm Mechanisation: The Path Towards a Future-Ready India' was released during the event, underscoring the need for mechanisation to strengthen food security. Subroto Geed, Co-Chairman, FICCI National Agriculture Committee and President, South Asia, Corteva Agriscience, said, "For India to secure its food future, improving productivity is critical. Mechanisation is a critical part of this transformation."

Sabrina Mangialavori, Deputy Trade Commissioner, Italian Trade Agency, noted increasing adoption of modern mechanical solutions, such as tillage, sowing, irrigation, crop protection, and threshing by Indian farmers.

The 10th edition of EIMA Agrimach will be hosted in Italy next year. (ANI)

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