烟草在线据印度商务在线报道编译　　为应对劳动力短缺和农场工资不断上涨的问题，印度烟草巨头ITC公司为小烟农开发了可承受得起的农场机械化解决方案。

　　ITC公司的农业业务部门——ILTD与迈索尔和Hassan地区的烟农合作，开发了用于土地准备、移栽、施肥和交互种植的机械化解决方案。

　　ITC有限公司的烟叶经理Krishna Kumar对印度商业报纸《商务专线》说：“通过开发和推行各种解决方案，我们证明，可以节约烟草种植中50%以上的劳动力需求。”

　　他补充说：“这个解决方案可能会对依靠烤烟维持生计的6万农业家庭和劳工带来好处。”

　　印度大约80%的烟草是供出口赚取外汇。劳动力短缺一直妨碍着运营的时机，对烟草的质量和出口潜力造成影响。它还影响了很多小农业家庭的赢利能力。

　　意大利技术

　　为了开发农场解决方案，ILTD从意大利的一家制造商进口了技术。Krishna Kumar说：“今天，这种机械可以在印度国内制造了，这降低了农民和他们的组织拥有这种机械的成本。”

　　目前，这种机械由已经从意大利的那家公司获得了许可证的M/s Arkay Agricon机械公司在Faridabad制造。

　　在对当地的需求进行评估后，ILTD公司为开发合适的工具开展了广泛的研究，目前，该公司正在迈索尔和Hassan地区不同种植地区的200英亩土地上对所有的工具开展实地评估试验。

　　为了推广和使人们熟悉这种机械，ILTD公司正在Hunsur、Periyapatna、HD Kote 和Ramnathapura taluks的不同村庄举办农场示范会。

　　Krishna Kumar说：“除了烟草种植之外，农民们还发现这种解决方案也适合于其他作物，例如红辣椒和马铃薯等。”

　　他补充说：“作为推广这种机械的下一个步骤，公司和一些进步的农民与卡纳塔克邦政府进行了交涉，以便为农民提供购买这些机器设备的补贴。安德拉邦政府已经决定给农民提供50%的补贴。”

India: ITC Devises Mechanisation Tools for Small Tobacco Farmers

　　To tackle labour shortage and increasing farm wages, tobacco major ITC has developed affordable farm mechanisation solution for small tobacco farmers.

　　ITC's Agri Business Division - ILTD, which works with the tobacco farmers in Mysore and Hassan districts, has developed mechanisation solutions for land preparation, transplantation, fertilisation and inter-cultivation.

　　"By developing and introducing solutions, we have demonstrated that more than 50 per cent of the labour requirement in tobacco cultivation can be saved," Krishna Kumar, Leaf Manager of ITC Limited, told Business Line.

　　"The solution is likely to benefit 60,000 farm families and labourers, who are dependent on flue cured tobacco crop for their livelihood," he added.

　　About 80 per cent of the crop is exported earning foreign exchange. Labour shortage always hinders operations timeline, impacts crop quality and the export potential. It also affects the profitability of many small and marginal farm families.

　　Italian technology

　　For developing farm solutions, ILTD imported the technology from a manufacturer in Italy. "Today the machinery is manufactured locally in India to bring down the cost of ownership for both to the farmers and their groups", Krishna Kumar said.

　　The machines are currently manufactured by M/s Arkay Agricon Machines at Faridabad, who have obtained the license from the Italian company.

　　After assessing local needs, ILTD conducted extensive study to develop suitable tools and is currently holding field evaluation trials of all implements on 200 acres spread across different growing regions in Mysore and Hassan districts.

　　To popularise and familiarise the machinery, the company is holding farm demonstrations in different villages of Hunsur, Periyapatna, HD Kote and Ramnathapura taluks.

　　Krishna Kumar said, "Along with tobacco cultivation, farmers have also found the solutions suitable for other crops, such as chilli and tomato."

　　"As a next step to popularising the machinery, the company and few progressive farmers have approached the Karnataka Government to provide subsidy to farmers to buy these equipments. The Government of Andhra Pradesh has already decided to provide 50 per cent subsidy to farmers," he added. Enditem