Sugarcane growers sensitised on farm mechanisation tools
Brian Robath, an Australian expert in sugarcane planter technologies with LEMKEN team, demonstrating a LEMKEN Mould Board plough and Power Harrow at Tanuku
The management of the Andhra Sugars, a leading sugar manufacturer in the state, has deployed a couple of German-made farm implements mould board plough and power harrow for demonstration on its premises. A large number of cane growers falling under the jurisdiction of the factories at Tanuku, Bhimadole and Taduvai in west Godavari district and Delta Sugars in Krishna district were sensitized on the basic functioning of the implements during the demonstration.
Mullapudi Narendranath, joint managing director, Andhra Sugars, said the demo was intended to sensitise the growers to switch to farm mechanization right from land preparation to harvesting to overcome acute shortage of manpower and cut down costs.
A technician from the LEMKEN, which manufactured the tools, said the MB plough could make furrows with 1ft depth for planting the cane. Farmers are forced to switch to alternative crops from land bour-intensive sugarcane, in view of increasing wage component. The daily wage for harvesting and loading of a tonne of cane per worker has shot up from Rs 250-300 to Rs 450-600.
The LEMKEN MB plough can prepare 4-5 acres of land for can seed planting per day, relieving the growers of the problem of manpower to a greater extent.
