Tractors
Tractor sales in Maharashtra fell 27% during the Aug-Sept period this year when compared to last year, reflecting deep financial stress in rural areas as crop losses, poor rainfall and prolonged dry spells forced farmers to put off major purchases. Because of the prolonged dry spell and inadequate rainfall, while prospects for the rabi season have also been affected,” said Sachin Mahajan, chairperson of FADA’s Maharashtra unit, they suffered losses during the kharif season. Nashik : The drought is no longer just drying up fields. It is shrinking farmers’ purchasing power too. “Farmers dependent entirely on agriculture have been badly affected.
Data from the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) shows tractor sales dropped to 11,813 units during the two-month period, down from 16,123 units a year ago.
“The overall decline in tractor sales during Aug-Sept was 27%, but the fall in Aug alone was 43%. He said yields of several crops had fallen by 50% to 80% in different regions. Kharif and late-kharif onion plantations have also declined sharply due to poor rainfall.
This reflects the impact of the drought on farmers,” Mahajan said. Farmers’ leaders said the collapse in sales mirrors the distress unfolding on farms. Bharat Dighole, president of the Maharashtra Onion Growers Association, said inadequate rainfall and prolonged dry spells had damaged crops across the state and eroded farmers’ ability to invest. “Farmers are in financial distress, and the sharp decline in tractor sales is an indication of it,” Dighole said.
The impact was most visible in Aug, traditionally a strong festive sales month. Maize, cotton and soybean have been among the worst hit.