OdishaLIVE Bureau
TAFE signs MoU with the Odisha Government at Make In Odisha Conclave 2018 to launch its JFarm Services
The leading manufacturer of the Tractor and Farm Equipments TAFE launches its ‘JFarm Services’ in the state during the Make In Odisha Conclave 2018, T R Kesavan, President & COO of the company in-conversation with Debasish Acharya said. Edited excerpts
Q- What made you to launch ‘JFarm Services’?
Ans- We have introduced the ‘JFarm Services’ under our CSR initiative in the state during theMake In Odisha (MIO) Conclave 2018, inaugurated by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. It is difficult for a company to sustain with such kind of services when not kept under CSR activity. We have launched the service fifteen months ago but was able to witness sound response after six months of its launch.
Q- What exactly is this JFarm Services ?
Ans- JFarm Services as is an app based rental service provider that links the owners of tractor and agriculture equipments with those farmers in need.
Q- How you see ‘Make In Odisha Conclave 2018’ effective for the investments in farming activity?
Ans- It is a good platform for the investors to come together under one roof to discuss and reach a conclusive state of investing in the state. It is difficult to bag huge investments in different sectors as well as in farming and agriculture sector other than Conclaves. It is the MIO Conclave 2018 that inspired me to launch the services in the state.
Q- How many farmers you have covered so far with ‘JFarm services’?
Ans- We have already covered 16,000 to 17,000 farmers as against the potential of 60,000 farmers in the states where we have launched our services. We are hopeful to cover 10 lakh of farmers by 2022 and are hopeful the farmers will double their income in the mean time. We are also hopeful to see 25,000 farmers in next two years from the state utilising our rental platform.
Q- Do you plan to collaborate with the state government for ‘JFarm’? How JFarm differs from ‘JFarm Services’?
Ans- Yes we have proposed to set up a ‘JFarm’ and the state government has assured to allocate land soon. Once the land is finalised the state government will call us for the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). JFarm is a kind of research programme. Under JFarm we engage certain patch of land for farming and offer all sorts of technical training to the farmers as well as agri entrepreneurs.
Q- What volume of land you have requested to the government? Do you think you will be called for the MoU soon?
Ans- We have requested for 50 acres of land, which will engaged for farming and can be best utilised to show the farmers what new can be done with the farmlands. The same land can be utilised to train an agri entrepreneur. Yes the state government is very optimistic of investments and I am hopeful by next three months we may receive the invitation for the MoU.
Q- How many farmers or entrepreneurs you intent to train?
Ans- It is not correct to say that we train a farmer rather they are educated by awareness drives, so we have come up with such JFarm kind of concept. But we can train the entrepreneurs on the mechanics and can motivate the innovators to develop new equipments and machines for farming welfare. We are hopeful to generate 500 to 1,000 entrepreneurs and bring 300 to 400 farmers to witness the change in JFarm.
Q- What is the current industry size of the tractors in the state? Please state your share commenting on the growth of the industry?
Ans- India is a market of 1,80,000 tractors per annum out of which we have a share at 1,50,000 units annually and leads the industry. The industry is growing at 15 per cent. The growth comes on the back subsidies offered by the state as well as central government. We have a good share in exports also and are hopeful to see good growth in this fiscal also.
Q- Do you manage the rental charges for the farmers to avail services through ‘JFarm Services’?
Ans- The app will provide a linkage the farmers to the renters and do not interpret in pricing as they have every right to negotiate the price for themselves.
