How UP farmers are using subsidised farm machines to cut costs, earn more

Farmers in Meerut are using subsidised machinery to complete cultivation faster and at lower cost. The equipment is also being rented out, creating an extra source of annual income.UP farmers are using subsidised farm machines to cut costGovernment subsidies on modern agricultural machinery are changing the economics of farming in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut, helping farmers reduce cultivation costs, cut the time spent on farm work and create additional sources of income.Under various agriculture department schemes, including the Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanisation (SMAM), farmers can get subsidies ranging from 40% to 80% on agricultural equipment. The support has made expensive machinery more accessible, with farmers investing in tractors, super seeders, balers, rotavators, deep-ploughing equipment and modern harvesting machines.The impact is visible in both time and labour costs. Farm operations that earlier took two days can now be completed in a single day with the help of modern machines. This has reduced the dependence on labour and allowed farmers to complete agricultural work over larger areas in less time.But for some farmers, the machines are doing more than just making cultivation easier. They are also becoming a source of additional income, as machinery purchased with government support is being rented out to other farmers.RS 24 LAKH SUBSIDY, RS 4-5 LAKH EXTRA INCOME A farmer from the Mawana area benefited from the Farm Machinery Bank project and received around Rs 24 lakh in subsidy for agricultural machinery.The machinery package, worth around Rs 42 lakh, includes a 75-horsepower tractor along with a baler, super seeder, wheat harvesting machine and equipment used for deep ploughing. The farmer said he received nearly 80% subsidy under a scheme worth around 30 lakh. He owns about six acres of land, where he mainly grows potatoes and sugarcane.According to him, the use of modern machinery has reduced the time required for farm operations by around 50%. Work that earlier took two days can now be completed in one.The machines have also reduced the need for farm labour. In addition, he rents out the equipment to other farmers, earning an estimated Rs 4-5 lakh in additional income every year.One of the machines he owns is used for deep ploughing and costs around 5 lakh. It helps break the hard layer beneath the soil, improving soil conditions and creating a more favourable environment for crop growth.The farmer said greater awareness of government schemes could help more farmers take advantage of such assistance. He also said obtaining a loan was not difficult, with the agriculture department sending a letter to the bank to facilitate the process.SUPER SEEDER CUTS TIME, LABOUR COSTAnother farmer from Meerut has also used government subsidies to purchase modern equipment, including a tractor, super seeder and rotavator.He received subsidies of around 40-50% on different agricultural machines. He owns around 60 bighas of land, grows sugarcane and wheat, and also runs a Farmer Producer Organisation (FPO) with a large number of farmers associated with it.The farmer highlighted the super seeder as particularly useful because it combines ploughing and sowing, which otherwise have to be carried out separately.By combining the two operations, the machine saves both time and labour. It also helps reduce seed use and can improve crop production, according to the farmer.MACHINERY BECOMES AN EXTRA INCOME SOURCEThe subsidy-driven adoption of agricultural machinery is therefore changing the way farmers approach cultivation.Modern equipment is being used across different stages of farming, from preparing fields and sowing to harvesting. As the time and labour required for these operations come down, the overall cost of cultivation is also reduced.At the same time, farmers who own such equipment can make the machinery available on rent to others in their area.This means subsidised agricultural machinery is emerging not only as a tool to make farming faster and less labour-intensive, but also as a potential source of additional employment and income for farmers.- EndsPublished By: Akash ChatterjeePublished On: Sep 14, 2026 23:42 IST