I was benchmarking mini tractor.
Labours ask more wages to drive Tillers like VST130 i.e. 12 -14 HP ones because the operator fatigue is too much. Tiller ruledout just because labours reluctant to use.
Started exploring mini tractors, my bench marks included below
Cost v/s HP:
KUBOTA. It was costing 22.5K/HP. 24 hp 5.4 lacs
Mitsubishi: 180D : Costs 15.6K/HP. 18.5HP 2.9Lacs
Mitsubishi: 224D: Costs 15K/HP 22HP for 3.3 lacs
Mahindra Arjun: costs 18K/HP.15HP 2.7lacs
Greaves Ustaad: Costs 21K/HP. 11 HP for 2.4 lacs.
Force Orchard 25X: 17.6K/HP. 25HP for 4.4 lacs.
Look:
Best, aesthetically appealing.
Good.
Best. Aesthetically appealing.
Average. Typical Mahindra signature.
Below Average, looked like a Chinese relabelled machine.
Average, Front end is good but closer look disappoints.
German Technology. (Mercedece Engine) balajiforce.com/Tractor.aspx?id=3
I did not benchmark mini tractors from Anagd, Captain, Kampco or any other tractors from Rajkot, because none of these were available in my city and I don’t want to ditch a machine for non availability of spares.
My selection: Mitsubishi 224ID.
1.Cost/ HP is best. It is available in my city. Dealer offer service and VST have strong network of spare parts.
2.Literally this is a little machine with giant power. (4 tonne laden weight)
3.I have used VST’s tiller so have feel of the quality and service.
4.I will not use rotovator, if I was planning to use one I would have selected Kubota.
Please provide your feedback on these points and your experience with mini tractors.
This is a neat compilation and from the analysis you made, MT 224D seems a good choice. However I have had some issues with an absolutely unprofessional VST Mitsubishi dealer in Hyderabad and even escalating to the highest levels in the company was just useless - so you may just confirm things are better in Bangalore. A few points:
Is this 4 wheel drive? A 4 wheel drive tractor is supposed to be equivalent to a 2 wheel drive tractor that has 30% more HP. I recollect Kubota 2420, Mitsubishi 180D and Force Orchard 25 are four wheel drive, but couldn’t find any mention in the 224D specs
The MT 224D looks good, I guess it has borrowed some makeup from Kubota!
Check with users of MT 224D if there are any heating or clutch issues - I heard of a few on 180D
Compare the clutch, number of gears, other features etc. - I think they are all single clutch and none of them has position or draft control that are available in larger tractors
Tell us what you want to use the minitractor for. The best use of a minitractor is for running a rotavator and it may not be overly efficient at running with a regular plough or cultivator. Don’t go by the videos and look at an actual demonstration of how it runs with the implements you want to use and if they do the job in the field the way you actually want.
Also evaluate if you can step up to a full tractor. A used one might cost just as much as a new minitractor, does every odd job, possibly has position, draft controls & double clutch and lets you use off the shelf attachments than custom made.
Yes. It is 4WD.
I agree they have copied looks from Kubota.
My usage will be only intertransportation and spraying. I dont need rotovator/plough.
I will dig more into heating problems.
There is an urgent need to standardize on the [mini-]tractor and its attachments. It should be possible to attach a rotavator from ROV company to Yuvaraj from M&M or Mitsubishi 224D.
Secondly most of the attachments to the tractor are for tilling the land by pulling various types of ploughs. For earth moving applications, such tools are not useful. We need hydraulically movable tools for such earth moving applications. In Kerala, people using JCB to to open circular trench around coconut trees, and to dig out trees or palms. Such hydraulically operated tools should be available for mini-tractors (supported by stabilzation legs apart from the weight of the mini-tractor). Tiltable box containers would be of use for unloading manure, soil and even produce like coconuts.
Thirdly, there are a number of electrically operated tools from weed cutters to augers. The minitractor should have integrated electric generators to cater to such electric tools.
There is indeed standardization for the attachments to the tractor. Today I saw a Kamco 15 hp 4 wheel drive mini-tractor at an agro exhibition at Ernakulam, Kerala. The demonstrator, quite knowledgeable, said that the tractor supports Category 1N attachments and that such attachments are easily available at Coimbatore, Nashik and other places. Searched for Category 1N. Appears to be an American standard. Good that manufacturers in India follow a standard.
The standadization is with respect to the 3 point hitch that connects the tractor to the attachment like rotovator. From a posting by a gentleman candoarms in tractorpoint.com forums Cat 1n is:
[i]The 3-point hitch comes in 5 different sizes, numbered from Zero (0) to Four (4). The only differences between them are the dimensions of the triangle and the diameter of the three connecting pins.
The lower lift arms on a three point cat 1 hitch are 26 inches wide, with the top link being 18 inches above the center line, between the two lower lift arms. The lower lift pins are 7/8" in diameter, and the top link connecting pin is 3/4" in diameter. The cat 1 hitch is used on tractors from 20-45 horses.[/i] candoarms in tractorpoint.com
The demonstrator mentioned that the power shaft coupling is also part of the Cat 1N standard, but candoarm has not mentioned it. Power shaft coupling is important for rotovators but not needed for a disc plough.
The Kamco minitractor was somewhat costly (Rs 3 lakh for the tractor without any attachments) Probably, this is because of the hydraulic controls available on the machine. The power shaft coupling to the rotovator is hydraulic. I saw 4 or 5 levers for hydraulic control near the right hand of the tractor operator. I dont remember to have seen such controls with Captain minitractor. Maybe it is there and I did not notice it. The knowledgeable demonstrator of the Kamco mini-tractor must have been so good to bring out all its features. The demonstrator also said that they plan to bring out excavators and backhoe. Maybe these too are standardized. If then they can easily be operated from the mini-tractor through its hydraulic controls.
Thanks Sri and Chandra for lot of information.
Although I don’t understand most of the technical terms regarding tractor, I have started learning them.
I am a farmer based out of talangana (Nalagonda dist). I am having 50 AC of red soil which I am planning to cultivate in next June. I am mainly into field crop (cotton, redgram) cultivation; little bit of horticulture crop.
I am looking for a right tractor for my farm only use. Uses are
Regular cultivator
Weeding through cultivator
Ridge and furrow making
Pesticide application
In farm trolly transportation (harvest, fym, etc).
Can you people please help me find some reliable good quality tractor. Also pls advice how much HP will be sufficient for these operations.
Joy
Mini tractor is suitable for orchards or plantation. Your application is for open field and you need a heavy duty tractor. In my opinion 40+HP is needed.
I’d like to buy a mini tractor with AP govt subsidy. Kindly share your advice to chose between Cubota or Captain AND 20HP OR 25HP… For 20HP tractor, the prices difference between Cubota and Captain is 20000 only. My usage will be for general orchard uses,inter cultivation and rotovator. I’m expecting low maintenance cost, spare parts and flexible implements.
bharatparimi
I have experience only with Kubota B2420 which is a 24HP 4 wheel drive tractor. At least back when I bought it about 3 years back, it was a unit that was completely built in Japan including the rotavator. I can say the unit performs quite well, has no day to day issues but the spares are expensive (since most of them are imported as far as I have seen), and getting the company service person needs some planning and waiting. The company does not supply any implements other than the rotavator and loader.
I had considered Captain (only 15HP or lesser 2 wheel drive existed then), VST 18HP 4WD, Sonalika OX25, Mahindra Yuvaraj.
VST had a horrendous dealer in Medak district and I had heard of some heating issues with that model. Sonalika, Captain & Mahindra were not in subsidy and the latter two were underpowered.
I would suggest to go for the highest possible HP if cultivating, ploughing is part of the expectation. If draft control and depth control are available, that is very beneficial.
If Captain has decent service and there are no issues, their new range offers good options to consider. I have always been impressed with the focus Captain puts in its range of implements and getting them direct from the company is a huge huge plus. Talk of a dedicated toll free customer care number and the company sounds so forward looking.
Kubota India is a complete dud in implements and customer care department.
@vsttillers
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Hello all!
I am in need of a small tractor to be used for intercropping in banana field with 12 feet spacing between rows. I was considering VST 224, but then thought of going for a slightly bigger one because I may have to use cultivator too. I came across Mahindra jivo 245 4x4. The dealer did not have a demo vehicle, so I have not seen how the tractor looks in flesh and how it performs. I made a mistake of booking the jivo without a clue on its performance. Still I can cancel it if it does not perform well with a cultivator.
I am not sure whether to go for this or the Tafe 30 Di orchard plus. The Tafe and jivo costs quite the same if I include the subsidy for tafe orchard. Jivo is not eligible for subsidy.
I need to use cultivator, seed drill, reaper and front loader. Kindly let me know your opinion.