In provinces with concentrated hilly and mountainous terrain, such as Guizhou, Guangxi, and Yunnan, a fleet of specialized tractors adapted for the terrain have recently been put into widespread use. This has fundamentally changed the traditional practice of manual labor, supplemented by machinery, in mountainous areas. To date, over 300 such tractors have been deployed in Guizhou alone, covering over 20 mountainous counties and serving over 15,000 mu (approximately 1,000 acres) of cultivated land. This not only frees farmers from heavy manual labor but also promotes the transformation of mountain agriculture towards precision and efficiency.
Over 80% of my country's southwestern region is hilly and mountainous, and much of the cultivated land is terraced or sloping. These narrow plots, steep slopes, and complex road conditions make traditional wheeled tractors either inaccessible or unusable. For example, in Qiandongnan, Guizhou, terraced fields are mostly 1.5-2 meters wide. Traditional tractors require a minimum turning radius of over 3 meters, making U-turns impossible on the terraces. Furthermore, slopes typically range from 20° to 30°, making old models prone to slipping and even overturning when climbing. To address these challenges, the new hilly and mountainous tractor has been modified in three key areas: First, it features a crawler track system with a width increased to 35 cm and a ground contact pressure of only 0.03 MPa, enabling smooth traversal of muddy terraces without collapsing ridges. Its minimum turning radius is reduced to 1.2 meters, enabling flexible U-turns even on 1.5-meter-wide terraces. Second, an optimized powertrain system employs a high-torque engine paired with a reinforced transmission, achieving a maximum climbing angle of 35°. This eliminates the need for frequent gear shifting and ensures stable power delivery even on the 25° slopes common in Guizhou. Third, the chassis's protective capabilities have been enhanced. 3mm-thick steel plates have been installed on key areas to prevent scratches from protruding rocks during operation. The tires feature a puncture-resistant tread pattern, extending their service life by two times compared to conventional tires and reducing wear and tear on mountain roads.
"In the past, cultivating five mu of terraced fields required three people working three days just to plow. Now, with my new tractor, I can finish the job in half a day." Wang Xiuying, a farmer in Liping County, Guizhou Province, owns 10 mu of terraced fields. In the past, she had to call for help two weeks in advance for spring plowing and autumn harvest. Labor costs, including food and lodging, increased the cost per mu by over 150 yuan. Now, her specialized tractor not only plows and harrows the land, but also, by switching to different implements, sows, applies fertilizers, and shreds the harvested straw. This single piece of equipment is like a jack of all trades. Statistics from the Liuzhou Agricultural Machinery Department in Guangxi show that the use of specialized tractors has increased farmland efficiency in mountainous areas sixfold, reduced labor costs by 70%, and reduced overall planting costs by 200-300 yuan per mu.
In addition to adapting to the terrain, the new tractors also address the need to protect mountain ecosystems. In traditional farming, farmers often arbitrarily widen field ridges and level plots to facilitate mechanical operations, damaging the fragile ecological environment in mountainous areas. However, specialized tractors can operate without modifying the plots, and their tracked design reduces soil compaction, preserving fertility. A relevant person in charge of the Agricultural and Rural Affairs Bureau of Zhaotong, Yunnan Province, said: "The promotion of this type of tractor has not only solved the problem of mechanization in mountainous areas, but also maintained the ecological bottom line. We are currently working with dealers to carry out an 'old for new' campaign. Farmers who replace their old agricultural machinery with special models can also enjoy an additional subsidy of 5,000 yuan. It is expected that the promotion volume will exceed 200 units before the end of the year." To ensure after-sales service of equipment, various places have also established service outlets in mountainous towns, stocked commonly used spare parts, and equipped with 2-3 professional maintenance personnel. They promise to respond to fault reports within 24 hours, and can also provide door-to-door service within 48 hours in remote areas, completely eliminating farmers' concerns about "affording it but not being able to use it well."
