Want to know the Top best tractor companies in India.
India is home to a large agricultural market – so much so, even though our dependence on agriculture has plummeted in the last couple of decades or so, even then our economy is more or less agriculture based and remains the backbone of our economy.
India, is in fact, ranked second in terms of agricultural produce – where most of the agricultural produce consists of rice, wheat, pulses, jute and even cotton.
A rough figure of 263 million people is involved -directly or indirectly in India, which speaks volumes on how essential and indispensable agriculture is in the sub-continent.
It is roughly estimated by several experts that farmers would be required to produce agricultural yield which is approximately 70% more than the food produce that is produced today – given the exceptional rise in the population levels.
Newer technologies and changes are being utilized to improve quality produce through efficacious methods. Tractors have now been used by farmers to ameliorate their agricultural farming experience and its efficacy for a considerable time now.
The Growth of the Tractor Industry in India
The Indian tractor market, given the quantum of agriculture in India, is consequently humongous and albeit, a booming one.
In 2020, it was estimated that the tractor market in the sub-continent will reach $7540.8 million in value and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 7.9% till 2030 to reach $12,700.8 million.
The tractor is not just restricted to the agricultural sector as the logistics and the construction verticals liberally use tractors. To a certain extent, even the mining sector uses tractors.
They are produced on a large scale in India and are available in 2-wheel type or 4-wheel type. As agriculture becomes more mechanised, the demand for tractors becomes even more blaring.
They come in several power ranges – most commonly between the 50-100 HP range. Another reason fuelling the rise in the demand of tractors in India is increased government spending on construction and infrastructure projects.
In the tractor space, tractors suited for muddy and heavy soil conditions – are heavy drivers of or in the Indian tractor market. In all the various segments of tractors, tractors offering 30-50 HP generated the highest revenue.
Cost or the price of a tractor in India depends on the brand of the tractor and also the quantum of horsepower of the tractor.
The Top Tractor Brands in India
There are a lot of brands in India that offer, make and manufacture tractors. Owing to the huge demand of tractors on account of modernisation of agriculture, a lot of players – both domestic and international - have stepped up to the plate.
There are in excess of 27 brands manufacturing and selling tractors. Some of the most prominent tractor brands in India include Mahindra, Swaraj, Massey Ferguson, John Deere, Powertrac, Sonalika, Farmtrac, Eicher, Kubota, Solis, Preet, Kartar, Ace Tractors, Digitrac, Escorts.
The three most dominant tractor brands in India are Mahindra Tractors, Ferguson Tractors and Sonalika Tractors – which constitute roughly 70% of the Indian Tractor Industry.
Since the tractors are so closely related to agriculture in India and so indirectly to the livelihood of the citizens or people residing in the rural areas, therefore the importance of understanding the sector becomes even more essential.
Tractor Companies in India (2022)
1. Mahindra
The brand claims that it has been the choice of priority among tractor buyers and as such has now become the undisputed tractor brand in India and has, on account of its state-of-the-art tractors, has retained that position for close to three decades now.
Mahindra Indian no 1 tractor offers a wide range of tractors whose price range from Rs. 2.5 Lakhs and extend upto Rs. 12.5 Lakhs.
- Sales: The company sold 40,486 units in May of 2022.
- Founder: Kailash Chandra Mahindra and Jagdish Chandra Mahindra.
- Founded in: The brand saw its inception in 1962 and is headquartered in Mumbai.
- Technologies used: Furthermore, Mahindra uses quality levels of engines such as Mitsubishi and Tong Yang Moolsan. Not only do they have a quality level engine, but also have a shuttle shift or a Hydrostatic drive and come at an affordable price.
- International presence: The brand's major target market is confined to India and China but over the last few years it’s been transcending to markets such as North America and Australia.
- Build up quality: The company even offers a 7-year warranty on their tractors. Thus, it is not very difficult to see as to why the tractor brand has been the number one tractor brand for close to three decades.
- Quality of the tractors: The company, for its quality of tractors, has received the Deming Application Prize and Japan Quality Medal.
- Top three models: The most famous brand models offered by Mahindra include Mahindra 575 DI, Mahindra Arjun 555 DI, Mahindra 275 DI TU and Mahindra Yuvraj 215 NXT.
2. Escort Agri Machinery
The Escorts Group – as far as its tractor business, dubs itself as the “Pioneer of Farm Mechanisation in India.”
The group’s major revenue comes through the sales of its flagship brands – Farmtrac and Powertrac.
- Sales: In 2022, it was reported that the company witnessed impressive growth in its tractor sales in the domestic region by 20%, selling 7,676 units.
- Founder: HP Nanda is the founder of the company
- Founded in: The company was established in 1944.
- Technologies used: The tractors are designed using superior engineering and offer horsepower in the range of 22 HP to 80 HP, depending on the tractor model.
- International presence: The group saw its inception in 1944. The brand, known for its roughness, ruggedness, durability and efficiency, is manufactured and marketed across several locations in Europe and Asia.
- Build up quality: The tractors come with speaker-phones devices, a specifically customised SIM Card and microphone – which enables it to maintain a two-way contact.
- Quality of the tractors: The company assures the highest quality of all tractor parts and is hands-on in producing in-house engines which are rated Class A-1 and are affordable – thus, making them a go-to choice among customers
- Top three models: Escort JOSH 335, Escort Steeltrac and Escort MPT JAWAN are the top three models of the company.
3. HMT Limited
Formerly known as Hindustan Machine Tools Limited, HMT Limited is affiliated with the Government of India, making it a public enterprise.
HMT – is a conglomerate under the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises in India Its in top 10 tractor company in India
- Sales: The company over the years has seen respectable growth in its sales figures and continues to grow. A lot of the truck brands offer an impressive lifting capacity of 1200 kgs.
- Founder: It is a public enterprise governed by the Indian Government
- Founded in: The company saw its inception in 1953, and subsequently the company became a conglomerate establishing its presence in watches, tractors, printing machinery and even plastic processing machinery. As of today, there are six subsidiaries under the Group and has 18 manufacturing units.
- International presence: The tractor business saw its modest beginnings in 1972 in one of the districts in Haryana, by the name of Pinjore. The company now plans to grow in the international market as well.
- Quality of the tractors: The tractors come with a water-cooled diesel engine, an impressive fuel tank capacity of 65 litres, mechanical dry disk brakes, an engine with 25 HP etc. The company is headquartered in Bangalore.
- Top three models: Notable brands of tractors on offer are HMT 3522 Tractor, HMT 2522 DX Tractor and HMT 2522 FX Tractor.
4. Sonalika Tractors
The Sonalika Group is leading an important trail in India’s journey in Agri-mechanisation.
One of the most important brands when it comes to the tractor business in India, the company has an impressive line of trucks on offer for its customers.
- Sales: In 2018, the tractor sales touched 1 lakh units on an annual basis and went to set up its R&D innovation research centre in Delhi NCR. In 2019, the sales figures further reached 1,14,057 units and saw the launch of Sonalika Tiger series tractors.
- Founder: Lakshman Das Mittal
- Founded in: 1969
- International presence: The brand of Sonalika is a global one, where it has a strong presence in more than 130 countries. The company caters to the demands of its tractors operating through its manufacturing plant based in Hoshiarpur, Punjab.
- Build up quality: The Group offers a wide range of tractors to its 11 lakh customers globally – ranging from Rs. 3.2 Lakh and goes upto Rs. 12.60 Lakh – with Sonalika Worldtrac 90 Rx 4WD being the most exorbitant offering.
- Quality of the tractors: With its modest inception, the brand has grown on an impressive upper slope to become the number one imported brand of the country. The company’s tractors have footprints which can be traced across verticals such as Agro Solutions, Farm Mechanisation, AFL Finance among others.
- Top three models: Other notable models include Sonalika GT 20, Sonalika Tiger 50, Sonalika DI 60 and Sonalika 35 DI Sikander.
5. Force motors
Force Motors is one of the most notable automobile brands of the country.
It’s a one-stop solution shop – involved in manufacturing its own engines, axles, gear boxes.
- Sales: This brand, along with the Orchard DLX comes with synchromesh gearboxes and Power Steering wheel. Force Motors registered an impressive jump in sales of 181% in April-July 2021.
- Founder: N. K. Firodia
- Founded in: The company saw its inception in 1958 and since then has seen consistent growth over the years.
- Technologies used: Over the years, it has collaborated with various international brands such as Daimler, Bosch, Ricardo etc to leverage on technological advancements.
- International presence: The brand has an impressive international presence in various regions such as Asia, the Middle East, Latin America and Africa. With respect to trucks, one of the most notable brand offerings of Force Motors is the “Balwan''.
- Build up quality: The tractors designed meet all the needs and requirements of modern day users as they are robust and help to save finances in the long run. It provides customised offerings – whether for distances which may be short or long and for rugged rural area roads and for smooth roads in urban areas. It is known for its famous brand models such as Force Tempo, Force Matador and Force Traveller.
- Top three models: Force SANMAN 6000 LT, Force Motors Balwan 450, and Force ORCHARD MINI are the top 3 models.
6. John Deere
A brand-name of Deere and Company, John Deere is a US based entity that is involved in and is market leader in agricultural machinery, forestry machinery, drivetrains, diesel engines, lawn care equipment and heavy equipment.
- Sales: As of 2021, the total sales of the company is estimated to be around 44 Billion US Dollars..
- Founder: Charles and John Deere were the founders of the company.
- Founded in: The company, founded in 1837 and headquartered in Illinois, has since had a global presence.
- Technologies used: Specifically in India, they offer D-series and E-series tractors. Within the D series, the 5D series offers horsepower of 35 to 55 HP – proficient in heavy duty haulage in addition to its traditional use. The 5E series can afford 50 to 75 HP. In addition, they offer specialty tractors offering 28 to 35 HP.
- International presence: It offers a tractor warranty of 5 years and it ranges from a price of approximately Rs. 4 Lakh to Rs. 29 Lakhs. The company even provides financing options. John Deere sells its products in well over 30 countries.
- Build up quality: One of the key areas of its offerings is in the Agri-equipment space. It offers Tractors, vehicles or equipment for cotton and sugarcane harvesting, equipment earmarked specifically for planting and/or seeding.
- Quality of the tractors: It even offers livestock or specialty equipment such as cutters and shredders along with hay and forage equipment.
- Top three models: When it comes to tractors, it offers three categories of tractors specifically – including Compact Tractors, Utility Tractors and Row Crop Tractors.
7. Standard
Initially, the Standard Tractors’ subsidiary was a collaboration or a partnership between the company and ZETOR, which was a Czech manufacturer.
- Sales: Total sales figure of the company is unavailable.
- Founder: Sardar Nachhattar Singh
- Founded in: Founded in 1975 and its headquarters in Barnala, Punjab – The Standard Corporation India Limited manufactures standard tractors.
- Technologies used: The company has witnessed growth in the recent few years and the same has propelled the company to become one of the leading companies and producers of self-propelled tractors, hydraulic mobile cranes, agricultural equipment and straw choppers. The company has a wide global outreach and has its customer presence in Nepal, Canada, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Zambia, Namibia, Nigeria, Iraq and Senegal.
- Quality of the tractors: Various models provide a lifting capacity starting from 1200 kgs and going on till 1800 kgs.
- Top three models: The various models include Standard DI.345 (offering 45 HP), Standard DI 490 (offering 90 HP). Standard DI 460 (offering 60 HP) among others.
8. New Holland
Another well-established brand in the market is New Holland Tractors Co.
- Sales: Total sales figure of the company is unavailable.
- Founder: SardarNachhattar Singh
- Founded in: Founded in 1975 and its headquarters in Barnala, Punjab – The Standard Corporation India Limited manufactures standard tractors.
- Technologies used: The company has witnessed growth in the recent few years and the same has propelled the company to become one of the leading companies and producers of self-propelled tractors, hydraulic mobile cranes, agricultural equipment and straw choppers. The company has a wide global outreach and has its customer presence in Nepal, Canada, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Zambia, Namibia, Nigeria, Iraq and Senegal.
- Quality of the tractors: Various models provide a lifting capacity starting from 1200 kgs and going on till 1800 kgs.
- Top three models: The various models include Standard DI.345 (offering 45 HP), Standard DI 490 (offering 90 HP). Standard DI 460 (offering 60 HP) among others.
9. Eicher tractors
Eicher name is a venerable brand in the agricultural domain – and is synonymous with reputed quality of trucks, affordable prices and customer satisfaction.
They are efficient and have been a go-to-choice for customers.
- Sales: In 2021, the company recorded a revenue of ₹8,720 crores.
- Founder: Albert Eicher and Josef Eicher were the founders of the organization.
- Founded in: 1936
- Technologies used: Some notable technological traits used in these models are a water cooled engine, a dual clutch, a power-steering, a lifting capacity of 2100 kgs and multi-disk oil brakes and even has a fuel tank capacity of 65 litres.
- International presence: Eicher Tractors was purchased by Tractors and Farm Equipment, i.e., TAFE. There are a lot of models available in the market with the Eicher 557 being the most exorbitant, which was priced at Rs. 8.55-8.80 Lakh. The company now aims to cater to the needs of a worldwide audience.
- Quality of the tractors: Blended with the Promise of TAFE, its goodwill in the market is unmatched. The company offers a rich portfolio of tractors.
- Top three models: Some of the notable models being EICHER 557 4WD PRIMA G3, EICHER 557 2WD PRIMA G3 etc.
10. Swaraj Tractors
The first indigenous and locally spruced tractor brand, Swaraj Tractors, was formed in 1974.
It has witnessed tremendous growth and today it stands as a key player in the tractor market.
- Sales: In 2021, the company recorded a revenue of ₹8,720 crores.
- Founder: Chandra Mohan
- Founded in: 1974
- Technologies used: They manufacture an eclectic mix of tractors ranging from 11.18 kW to 48.47 kW (15Hp-65Hp) and even make a special offering of wetland & specialized tractors to its customers for horticulture purposes. They even offer farm machinery to their customers. They use recent technologies such as dry disk brakes and efficacious engines.
- Build up quality: At present, they have as many as 20 products to offer. The latest offering by the company is Swaraj 717, offering 15 HP. The website classifies tractors based on the horsepower it generates.
- Quality of the tractors: The firm, which started out as Punjab Tractors under the State government of Punjab in the year 1970 was eventually taken over by Mahindra and Mahindra in 2007 when they acquired a majority stake.
- Top three models: For instance, some models with 20-30 HP include Swaraj 825 XM, Swaraj 724 XM, Swaraj 724 4WD etc.
11. Preet Tractors
Preet Agricultural Tractors was started in 1980 and is one of the key players in the manufacturing of Agricultural tractors, equipment and combine harvesters.
- Sales: The operational revenue of the company is expected to be around 100-500 CR.
- Founder: In 1986, Mr. Hari Singh (MD) with the help of his younger brother, Gurcharan Singh, produced its maiden Tractor Driven Combine Harvester.
- Founded in: 1980
- Technologies used: The tractors are concomitant with two cylinders, water cooling system, heavy duty dry type clutch, 8F gearbox, a hydraulic pump, a power steering and a 12V battery. It also provides a 25 litres tank.
- International presence: The company has an impressive network of dealers both locally and internationally. Furthermore, it exports to 120 + locations and captures in excess of 40% of market share. It offers two main types of tractors i.e. 2WD and 4WD agricultural tractors. The company has its presence in more than 140 counties.
- Build up quality: The company hasn’t looked back since then. The company has been facilitated with several awards, such as the National Awards and the Punjab Rattan Award.
- Top three models: One of the major tractor offerings under the 4 WD window is Preet 2549. Other models in the form of Preet 3549 and Preet 6049 have also gained tremendous popularity.
12. TAFE
Tractors and Farm Equipment Limited
(TAFE) is an Indian tractor manufacturing company entailing an eclectic collection of farm equipment.
- Sales: One of the leading Indian brands, this company produces and manufactures tractors under differential price segments starting from ₹4.24 lakhs to ₹10.12 lakhs. The company has an annual turnover of more than 10,000 crores.
- Founder: S. Anantharamakrishnan
- Founded in: 1960
- Technologies used: Moreover, they offer 36 HP to 100 HP engine performance. It has an impressive dealership network of 1200 dealers and was established in 1960. Their tractors are known for their robustness and ruggedness.
- International presence: The company has an overall global presence in more than 100 countries such as Europe and the Americas.
- Quality of the tractors: It is the third-largest tractor manufacturer in the world and the second largest in India by volume, TAFE sells over 180,000 tractors (domestic and international) annually.
- Top three models: Some of the well-known brand models of trucks are the TAFE 1002, TAFE 9502, TAFE 8502.
Conclusion
Thus, it is apparent and very well-established tractor companies in India that there are a lot of tractor and equipment producing brands in the country, more than 27 according to an estimate.
Mahindra and Mahindra are the leader in the tractor industry. Companies, in order to compete and serve their customers better, are using recent technologies in their state-of-the-art tractors to attract the consumer.
The tractor market is almost saturated and the overall strength of the customers is the large eclectic choices the customers have with them.
frequently asked question
Q1. What is the biggest tractor company in India?
Mahindra and Mahindra Tractors Company is the leading brand in terms of tractors In India – with its state-of-the-art tractors and use of technology in its recent projects has made and continued to make this company as the top dog in the segment for almost three decades.
Q2. How many tractor companies are there in India?
In 2013, India produced 619,000 tractors accounting for 29% of the world's output. It is the world's largest producer and market for tractors. India currently has 16 domestic and 4 multinational corporations manufacturing tractors.
Thus, it becomes pretty evident that the tractor segment is highly competitive and cut-throat one but despite all that it continues to grow.
Q3. Which is the best tractor company in India?
The following in my understanding are the top or key players manufacturing tractors in India. Mahindra and Mahindra, established in 1948 has continued to be the number one company in the space.
TAFE or Tractors and Farm Equipment Limited is another one. Swaraj Tractors, which was the first indigenous tractor brand, is another contender. Escorts Trader and John Deere also have impeccable tractor brands.
