Wary of new emission norms, tractor makers urge govt to hold consultation
Vijay C Roy
Chandigarh, May 21
As new European emission norms for tractors are set to be implemented from 2026, tractor manufacturers in a recent meeting with the Centre urged it to formulate a committee comprising farmers, tractor makers and farm scientists to study the impact of decision.
Sales dropped by 69% after TREM IV kicked in
- TREM IV norms rolled in for tractors over 50 HP in April ’23. Sales dipped by 69% to 20K units on account of acquisition cost hike
- New norms will be applicable to tractors below 50 HP, which constitutes over 95% of total sales. In FY24, 8.74L tractors were sold
The Centre has decided to adopt TREM V emission norms for tractors from April 2026. According to tractor manufacturers, the new emission norms as applicable in Europe are not even implemented in advanced countries like Australia, the US, Brazil and Thailand.
Therefore, India must formulate its own emission norms for tractors based on Indian farming conditions, said manufacturers.
In India, the emission standards for tractors and construction equipment are regulated separately from the broader automobile industry, which has already moved to BS-VI norms from April 2020.
“In Europe, the average power of tractors is 125-150 HP. The cost of such tractors is Rs 80 lakh to Rs 120 lakh. The cost of the new emission norms will be around Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 2 lakh per tractor. While this cost in negligible in Europe, it is significant in India,” said AS Mittal, president, Tractor and Mechanisation Association.
