Journal of Intellectual Property Rights

Vol 16, March, 2011, pp 163-169

Agricultural Machinery in India: IPR Perspective*

Agricultural machinery involves use of equipment and machines that are required to perform various crop production
activities. The use of agricultural machinery leads to better utilization of inputs and improvement in agricultural operations,
particularly in large scale crop production. Most of the earlier innovations in India in this sector were on tractors and drillers.
There has been an increase in the innovations in machinery in the pre-harvest as well as post-harvest operations. The present
study attempts to analyse patenting activity to identify current innovations on agricultural machinery in India. Analysis of
published applications revealed that the area of irrigation and post-harvest processing had the maximum filing. In the case of
granted patents, majority of the patents belong to the area of plant growth and post-harvest operations. The analysis reveals
the specific patent portfolios and the scope of future innovations in the agriculture engineering sector.

Keywords: Agricultural machinery, intellectual property, patents, agricultural engineering

Agriculture in India is unique in its characteristics with plough and sprayers were the major inventions. From
250 different crops cultivated in different agro-climatic 2000 onwards inventions ranged from sprayers,
regions. It is one of the most important sectors of the threshers, harvesters, seeders, drilling machines,
Indian economy, contributing to 18.5 per cent of the hoses, pumps to specialized machinery indicating an
national income; about 15 per cent of total exports and increase in mechanization in a wide range of pre-
supporting two-thirds of the work force.1 Agricultural harvest and post-harvest operations.
engineering inputs have played an important role in As per the agriculture policy announced in the year
increasing production and productivity through 2000, mechanization in agriculture was encouraged to
appropriate mechanization. Inputs for production and sustain increased yields, to conserve land and water
post-production processes are necessary for timely resources, for more efficient use of inputs like seed,
field operations, conservation of water, to reduce chemicals, fertilizers and energy, besides stating that
losses and improve value addition in post-harvest it should involve environment friendly operations and
operations, and enhance economic returns.2 The improved safety. Timely operations and improvement
agricultural equipment market in India was valued at in process and techniques result in reduction in
Rs 299.1 billion in 2010 and has enormous potential quantitative and qualitative loss. The development of
for further growth. The increasing credit facility quick mechanical transportation, cleaning and
available to farmers and the benefits of productivity handling means would help in improved marketing of
due to mechanization has created a demand for agricultural goods.4 In this policy, optimal use of
agricultural machinery.3 Agricultural machinery irrigation potential, high priority for rural
inventions in India can be traced back to the sixties electrification and setting up of agro-processing units,
when they were primarily on tractors and seed drills. and creation of off-farm employment in rural areas
Tractors, tractor drawn cultivators, threshers and were identified as sectors which shall provide a thrust
ploughs continued to be the emphasis in the seventies. to mechanization.5 The policy also stipulated the need
In the eighties, though, inventions were restricted for building modern infrastructure to bridge the gap
mostly to tractors. In the nineties, seeders, tractors, between the irrigation potential created and utilized. It
___________
also outlined modernization of irrigation
infrastructure including drainage, evolving and
†Email: Corresponding author: mpadma@rgsoipl.iitkgp.ernet.in
*This work forms a part of the ISIRD project funded at IIT,
implementing an integrated plan of augmentation and
Kharagpur for the creation of an Agriculture Invention Resource management of national water resources.
for India Development of marketing infrastructure and
164 J INTELLEC PROP RIGHTS, MARCH 2011

techniques of preservation, storage and transportation and Farm Equipment Ltd and Punjab Tractors Ltd.7
with a view to reducing post-harvest losses, the Several strategies and programs have been adopted by
establishment of cold chains and provision for pre- Indian Government for the promotion of eco-friendly
cooling facilities were priority areas. and selective agricultural equipments. The Farm
It has been seen that efficient machinery helps to Machinery Training, Testing & Demonstration
increase productivity by about 30 per cent as it helps Institutes (FMTTIs) together have tested one hundred
the farmers to raise a second crop making agriculture and sixty machines of various categories, including
lucrative. The development and introduction of high tractors, power tillers, combine harvesters, reapers,
capacity, reliable and energy efficient equipment is rotavators and other implements.8
important for optimal use of inputs (Table 1). These joint efforts made by the Government and
Agricultural machinery is a major thrust area in the the private sector have led to increased mechanization
XI Five Year Plan. Mechanization of horticultural over the years. Farmers have been provided financial
crops, harvesting, threshing and straw management, assistance for owning a wide range of agricultural
post-harvest management, improving safety, use of equipment namely, tractors, power tillers,
agriculture machinery in rural programs, etc., are bullock/tractor drawn implements, reapers, threshers,
important areas. The use of combine harvesters, irrigation equipment, hand tools, etc. Further, new
threshers and other power-operated equipment has equipments such as precision planter, zero-till drill,
increased tremendously throughout the country. The seed cum fertilizer drill, raised bed planter, improved
Northern states of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh weeders, plant protection equipment, harvesting and
have achieved a faster growth in mechanization over threshing machines, drip, micro-sprinkler and
the various five year plans. It is recognized that sprinkler irrigation equipment are also available. The
availability of mechanical power and improved manufacture of basic agricultural implements is
equipment has enabled states like Punjab and Haryana largely by village artisans and tiny units, small scale
to achieve high levels of land productivity.1 The industries and the State Agro-Industrial Development
Western and Southern states of the country also show Corporations. Medium scale industries produce diesel
an increase in mechanization with a growing engines, electric motors, irrigation pumps, sprayers
awareness among farmers about the advantages of and dusters. Complex products such as land
mechanization. However, in the North Eastern states development machinery, tractors, power tillers, post-
due to the socio-economic conditions, increased cost harvest and processing machinery and dairy
of transport, lack of manufacturing industry as well as equipment are manufactured by large players in the
machinery, topography and the lack of institutional organized sector. These firms typically have large
financing, the pace of mechanization has been slow.6 manufacturing facilities, in-house research and
India contributes significantly to the worldwide development facilities or have joint ventures with
farm equipment market. The tractor industry is the advanced countries for technology upgradation.
largest in the world accounting for one third of the Several traditional processes of agriculture have
global production. The tractor industry comprises of been transformed with the advent of mechanization.
fourteen players with some of the prominent Modern seed drills and planters replace the traditional
companies like Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd, Tractors methods of sowing and planting. Use of diesel and
electric motors and pumps is now well established for
Table  1 Economic advantage of mechanization (in per cent)
irrigation of farm land. Similarly, the activities
pertaining to plant protection, harvesting and
Increase in productivity 12-34 threshing are being automated, largely with the help
Seed-cum-fertilizer drill facilitates of sprayers and tractor mounted equipment,
Saving in seeds 20 respectively.9
Saving in fertilizer 15-20 Mechanization in Pre-harvest Operations
Enhancement in cropping intensity 5 – 22 Tractor and tractor related innovations, equipment
Increase in gross income of the farmers 29-49 and tools for planting and soil preparation and
Source: Report of the sub-group on agricultural implements
irrigation form an important component of pre-harvest
and machinery for formulation of IX Five Year Plan, Govt of operations. The most common plant growth related
India equipment and tools are related to sowing and
 MANCHIKANTI & SENGUPTA: AGRICULTURAL MACHINERY IN INDIA: IPR PERSPECTIVE 165

planting. Mechanical transplanters for rice and and processing units for pulses, and driers form an
vegetable crops are popular with farmers. Long important part of processing.
handle tools and power weeders for weeding and There are both public and private institutions
interculture, manual and power operated sprayers and involved in the innovations on agriculture machinery.
dusters for application of chemicals have been Organizations such as the National Innovation
commercialized.1 Different type of sprinklers, Foundation (NIF) and Grassroots Innovations
drippers and emitters are part of irrigation machinery. Augmentation Network (GIAN) have helped in filing
Micro-irrigation, in both its drip as well as sprinkler patents for rural innovations and identified
modes, helps to increase water use efficiency; reduce commercial mechanisms for efficient transfer of
energy requirement, weed problems, soil erosion and technology. So far there are no studies available in
cost of cultivation.10 Among the two micro-irrigation India on the patenting activity in agricultural
methods, research on sprinkler irrigation is less machinery. Differences in cultivation practices and
advanced as compared to drip irrigation.11 Sprinkler regional aspects necessitate changes in the makeup of
irrigation has been identified as an emphasis area for agricultural machinery. The development of
R&D development. The evaluation of optimum innovations in agricultural machinery, in tune with
spacing arrangements of sprinkler heads, promoting these requirements, would help pre-harvest and post-
use of plastic impact sprinklers, design and harvest operations in Indian agriculture. The present
development of low cost hose drag system and design study attempts to analyse the current trends in
and development of small scale mechanized sprinkler patenting on agricultural machinery in India.
systems such as travelling rain gun, side roll and
centre pivot suitable to Indian conditions have been Collection and Analysis of Patent Data
accordingly identified.12 Three large areas of patenting identified related to
agricultural machinery in India are (i) irrigation,
Mechanization of Post-harvest Operations (ii) plant growth related and (iii) post-harvest
Threshing, grading, milling and storage are critical processing. Although tractor inventions are the largest
to ensure regular and quality goods to the market. In category over the years, this study focuses on growth
post-harvest operations, automation is used for of machinery in other areas. The above areas have
harvesting, proper threshing, post-thresh cleaning, been identified based on the ongoing effort to create
rolling, milling, drying and safe storage in the case of an agriculture invention resource for India. In order to
food grains. For fruits and vegetables, pre-harvest understand the type and growth of innovations in
treatments, harvesting, pre-cooling and washing, India in these three areas, information on applications
surface drying, cold storage facilities, safe transport and granted patents were obtained from the Indian
and safe handling operations are very important. Patent Office weblink13 and Official Weekly
Cereal crop harvesters are used on a large scale and Publications14 of the patent office for the last 6 years
include various designs of vertical conveyor reaper i.e., from Jan 2005 to Dec 2010.
windrowers and combine harvesters. Tractor mounted Irrigation largely involves micro-irrigation and
digger-elevators for groundnut and tuber crops, spike- macro-irrigation components. The keywords used to
tooth and raspbar-type threshers for cereal crops and identify, locate and collect patents related to this area
crop specific threshers for major crops such as were: irrigat+, drip, sprinkler, emitter, pump, tensio+,
soybean, groundnut and sunflower have been humid+ and pipe. Machinery related to plant growth
developed and commercialized. Reapers powered by is largely used for planting, ploughing and tilling
engines, power tillers and tractors have been processes. The keywords used here were: tiller,
developed and introduced for harvesting wheat, cultivator, harvest, planter, plow, plough, nutria+,
paddy, soybean, ragi and mustard. Walk behind and germina+, and greenhouse. Post-harvest processing
self-propelled reaper harvesters facilitate quick area includes harvesting and processing operations.
harvesting. Traditional threshing by animal treading The key words used were: harvest+, thresh, cut, roll,
has been replaced by power threshers. Pedal operated mill, grind, dehusk, deseed, deshell, store and
paddy threshers reduce drudgery and have become transport. A total of 547 hits were obtained from all
popular in India. Automatic modern mills, roller the three areas. The abstracts and additionally in some
mills, modern packaging techniques in case of cereals cases the claims of patents were screened to remove
166 J INTELLEC PROP RIGHTS, MARCH 2011

any non-agriculture machinery related patents. The number of patents was also observed in both the
final number of patent applications for irrigation, areas. The number of published applications related to
plant growth related machinery and post-harvest plant growth was few in comparison. The number of
processing were 89, 72 and 232 respectively. There publications for post harvest processing was highest
were 286 hits obtained in case of granted patents for during 2009 with 49 patent applications. Irrigation
all the three areas. These were screened for non- related patents also recorded the highest number of
agricultural machinery patents. There were 20 granted publications in the same year. In plant growth related
patents in irrigation, 42 in plant growth related machinery, the number of published applications was
machinery and 80 in post-harvest processing. generally constant in the years 2006, 2007 and 2008
Statistics were compiled for year wise, assignee wise with 14 applications in each year.
distribution of the published applications in the three Type of Applicants
categories and with respect to granted patents the The data also indicated that companies and
assignee wise statistics were compiled for the three individuals filed the largest number of applications
areas. The general prosecution time taken for across the areas of post-harvest processing, irrigation
applications to be granted in these three areas in India and plant growth related machinery. Of the 405
was ascertained by calculating the difference between published applications filed across all the three areas,
the date of filing and the date of grant. From the assignee companies and individuals filed 147 and 148 of the
wise statistics the percentage for individual, company published applications, respectively. In comparison,
and institution were calculated. Finally, the major focus institutions represented 27 per cent of the total filing
areas for recent innovations were identified. (Fig. 2).
Assignee wise distribution within each area reveals
Results obtained from Analysis of Data that though institutions have less patent publications
Published Patents: Most Prolific Area in total (Fig. 2), they are the major applicants in the
Analysis of the published applications from 2005 case of post-harvest processing (with 87 published
to 2010 indicated that among the three areas, post- applications). Companies have the largest number of
harvest processing is the major area of filing followed published applications for the plant growth related
by irrigation (Fig. 1). A gradual increase in the machinery (Fig. 3).

Fig.1  Year wise distribution of published applications in three major areas of agricultural machinery

Fig. 3  Assignee wise distribution of published applications

Companies: Holders of Maximum Number of Granted & Company and Design Technology & Irrigation
Patents Limited jointly hold the patent no 219990 on an
Assignee wise analysis reveals that the companies irrigation device comprising a container for water
have the highest grants followed by the institutions consisting of a plurality of surfaces. Solar-powered
(Fig. 4). Distribution of granted patents for the given drip irrigation is known to be useful in raising the
areas revealed that though institutions hold a smaller economic potential in crop production and also has
number of patents compared to companies, they have environmental benefits. So far, there are two
the highest number of granted patents in the area of applications 1167/MUM/2009 and 1456/CHE/2009
post-harvest processing with 39 grants, whereas, on solar powered irrigation systems, both by Indian
companies have the largest number of granted patents individuals.
for the machinery related to plant growth (Fig. 5).
In case of plant growth related machinery, Yanmar
This is similar to the distribution in case of published
Agricultural Equipment Co Ltd and Klimrek IE BV
applications (Fig. 3).
were the major patent holder comapanies. Most
Patent filing in irrigation was dominated by
patents of Yanmar are on rice planting equipments.
Netafim Ltd with patents mainly on irrigation pipes.
The Indian institutes, Indian Council of Agricultural
There were six Indian patents granted on drip
Research (ICAR) and CSIR have patents on seeder
irrigation system, dripper, automated irrigation
and planters. Two such patents 41/DEL/2006A and
system, pumps and sprinklers. Among the Indian
141/DEL/2006A are on seeder cutter planters and
companies, Jain Irrigation Systems Ltd was prominent
ratoon management respectively. There is one granted
in filing. Other Indian applicants included Council of
patent on multicrop dryland seeder (198798) of IIT
Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and Indian
and one on sugarcane planters (213535) of United
Institutes of Technology (IIT) along with a few
Phosphorus. The Central Sericultural Research
individuals. Two companies, E I Du Pont de Nemours
Institute has been granted patents on mulberry
cuttings (217062) and environator (216222).
Patents on post-harvest processing were for general
tools or for specific operations. Among the companies
Bentle Products AG and Buhler AG, and among the
institutions ICAR and CSIR hold a large number of
patents. Indians are the major innovators in this
sector. Besides crop specific inventions there were
also significant applications filed on tools for
processing. For instance, 1773/CHE/2008A describes
a device to monitor stored grain insects in bag stacks,
Fig. 4  Assignee wise distribution of granted patents
00531/KOL/2004A describes a LCD moisture meter
for jute/cotton, 25/DEL/2005 a storage device
enhanced period storage of agro products and
1131/DEL/2005A on solar cum electrical dryer with
agricultural waste as third source of energy etc.
In India, individuals and institutions file a larger
number of patent applications as compared to
companies in the three areas. Among institutions,
patents are filed by major Indian governmental
research institutes such as ICAR, CSIR and IIT.
Among the Indian companies, Jain Irrigation and
United Phosphorus Limited are the major companies
with patenting activity. With respect to foreign
companies, Deere and Company, Kubota Corporation,
Yanmar Agricultural Equipment Ltd, Reckitt
Fig. 5  Assignee wise distribution of granted patents across
Benckiser (UK) Ltd, Norma Germany GMBH are the
categories major assignees.
168 J INTELLEC PROP RIGHTS, MARCH 2011

Taking into account the total number of grants so equipments. A recent invention focuses on a
far, analysis of the prosecution time in general reveals multipurpose use of farm equipment which includes
that it takes two to ten years for a patent to be granted plowing, weeding, leveling, sowing and spraying either
with an average of four to five years. separately or all together (366/DEL/2008A).
Greenhouse related inventions range from rails for
Current Innovations in Agricultural Machinery moving a carriage in a green house
Inventions in the irrigation area are largely related to (2523/DELNP/2006A) to hydroponics based greenhouse
micro-irrigation and show an increase over the years application (3033/MUM/2009A). It is observed that
since 2005. Patents filed are mostly on irrigation similar to irrigation, in the area of plant growth related
systems and devices. Drippers, sprinklers, emitters and inventions there is increased interest in automation.
hoses are the common inventions in this sector with In the post-harvest processing area, most
drippers accounting for the highest number of inventions are on machinery related to tea, cotton,
applications among them. The innovations in drippers sugarcane, arecanut, cashew, coconut and cereals. In
relate to bottle drippers (236/MUM/2005A), variable addition some inventions relate to jute processing.
droplet irrigator (IN/PCT/2002/01048/KOL) and disc These inventions are filed either by individuals or by
shape dripper (498/DELNP/2007A). Inventions on research institutions. The inventions related to tea are
irrigation pipes, tensiometers and pumps can be mechanized uniform spreading of tea leaves
considered as the second level of innovation in the (32/KOL/2004A), shoot preconditioning device
area. One of the interesting inventions identified was (1761/DEL/2004A), shoot sorter (2839/DELNP/2004)
on the method of making drip irrigation pipes and sharpening of used/new tea rollers
(2566/MUM/2009A). Automation of irrigation systems (394/DEL/2006 A). In case of cotton, inventions are
also seems to have significant potential in future on machinery related to seed delinting
innovations. One recent patent application describes (1220/MUM/2001), stripper (18/MUM/2001), stalk
automation for communication system between control compacting (826/MUM/2004) and spraying
units for irrigation devices (261/DELNP/2010A). (732/MUM/2004). The typical inventions in case of
In the macro-irrigation sector, inventions are on sugarcane are roller mill (1049/MUM/2001), cutting
pumps, channels and pipes. Among these pumps are machines (739/CHE/2007, 985/CHE/2008), straw
predominant. Some of the interesting inventions under cutter (750/DEL/2009A) and deskinning device
development are a device and method that protects (460/DEL/2004A). Peelers and cutters are the main
three phase agriculture field water pump sets inventions in case of coconut and arecanut.
(850/CHE/2006A), automatic pumping system for
skimming wells and a development of a feasible Conclusion
technique for fresh water skimming According to the study, individuals and institutions
automatically (2957/CHE/2007A) and an improved, have filed the highest number of patents in the areas
light weight, efficient treadle pump for irrigation of irrigation, plant growth related machinery and post-
(210928, 1289/MUM/2004). Electrification harvest processing. The present study also revealed
(1345/MUMNP/2008A) and solar irrigation system that automation, crop specific machinery and energy
(1456/CHE/2009A) are the some of the interesting efficiency are the current areas of emphasis for
inventions in the recent years. agricultural machinery inventions. Further studies on
In the area of plant growth related machinery, most the commercialization of these inventions would
inventions are on planters, cultivators and ploughs. reveal the impact on specific pre- and post-harvest
The planter inventions are mostly crop specific operations.
including rice, sugarcane, vegetables and cotton. The
major crop specific planters are the rice planters. The Acknowledgement
inventions range from those operable with a machine The authors acknowledge the financial support
at the time of traveling, rice planting work and supply received from the ISIRD project.
work of seedlings (for improving planting), to the
effective use of vehicle space References
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