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Agricultural equipment maker KisanKraft Ltd expects to commission its ₹75 crore manufacturing unit in Nellore, Andhra Pradesh by mid-August this year.
Ravindra Agrawal, Promoter and Managing Director, Kisankraft, said the company would be manufacturing a range of equipment including inter-cultivators (mini tillers), reapers, harvesters and other tilling accessories at its Nellore unit spread across 46 acres.
“We will be localising the components to an extent of about 50 per cent,” Agrawal said. So far, the company has invested around ₹70 crore in Nellore facility, which would eventually scale it up to ₹100 crore, he said.
Plans on export market
KisanKraft, which competes with the likes of Honda, Husqvarna and STIHL in the farm machinery segment for small farmers, currently imports inter-cultivators, brush cutters and other tillage equipment from its principals in China. With the commissioning of its Nellore plant, KisanKraft also plans to tap the export markets in neighbouring SAARC countries initially, Agrawal said.
The Bengaluru-based KisanKraft’s agri-equipment range is largely targetted at the small and medium farmers, who are increasingly looking at mechanisation on rising labour shortage and increasing wages. There is a steady increase in demand for farm equipment, Agarwal said adding that the spread of pandemic last year resulted in surge in sales on rise in labour shortage.
Recognition for seed R&D
KisanKraft’s diversification plans in seeds sector got a boost recently with the company’s R&D units getting recognition from the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR).
Agrawal said the DSIR recognition puts us on par with other companies in carrying out research activities. It would also enable the company to take up multi-locational trials for its direct seeded rice hybrids besides getting access to certain germplasm, Agrawal said.
KisanKraft, which is member of Sustainable Rice Platform, a global multi-stakeholder alliance, has been working on developing rice hybrids which consume less water and can be directly seeded.
The company also believes that the DSIR recognition would enable it to take up multi-location trials for its hybrid vegetable seeds. KisanKraft is developing about 12-15 hybrid seeds for vegetables such a chilli peppers, gourds and capsicum among others, Agrawal said.
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