I. Technical Features of Hilly Tractors: Tailor-Made for Complex Terrain
1. Body Design: Compact and Flexible for Narrow Fields
To address the fragmented plots and narrow ridges found in the hilly areas of southern China, the R&D team adopted a "short wheelbase + narrow body" design. The tractor's wheelbase is shortened to 2.8 meters, 0.5 meters less than traditional models. The body width is kept to under 1.2 meters, allowing it to easily navigate ridges as wide as 1.5 meters. Furthermore, with a low center of gravity layout and a ground clearance of 35 cm, the tractor's stability on slopes is improved by 50%, minimizing the risk of rollover. In the terraced fields of Wuyuan, Jiangxi, farmer Wang Aihua, after a trial, said, "Previously, large tractors couldn't access the terraces. Now, this small model can maneuver between ridges, making it three times faster than manual tillage."
2. Powertrain: Powerful and Efficient for Complex Operations
Equipped with a 1.5-liter turbocharged diesel engine, it boasts a maximum power of 60 horsepower and 30% more torque than conventional tractors in its class, making it easy to power plows, seed drills, and other agricultural implements on slopes. It also features a "high-low" dual-speed design: low gear is suitable for heavy-duty operations like plowing and seeding, with a traction force of 12 kilonewtons; high gear is suitable for light-duty operations like transporting and weeding, with a travel speed of up to 25 kilometers per hour. In the sugarcane-growing areas of Chongzuo, Guangxi, tractors paired with sugarcane harvesters can harvest and transport 15 mu (approximately 16 acres) of sugarcane per day, achieving an eight-fold increase in efficiency compared to manual labor. 3. Multifunctional Integration: One Machine for Multiple Use Reduces Farmer Costs
Through its modular implement interface design, the tractor can quickly change between over 10 types of implements, reducing changeover time from the traditional one hour to 15 minutes. Specific functions include: tillage (compatible with two-furrow plows, with a tillage depth of up to 18 cm), seeding (compatible with grain planters, with adjustable row spacing), tea picking (compatible with small tea pluckers, with a daily tea harvest of up to 200 kg), transport (with a cargo bed, capable of carrying up to 1.5 tons), and crop protection (with a sprayer, with a spraying width of up to 3 meters). Zhang Jianguo, a tea farmer in Xiangxi, Hunan, said, "Buying one tractor is equivalent to buying five sets of farm tools, saving over 20,000 yuan in equipment investment annually."
II. Promotional Results and Policy Support: From "Pilot" to "Scaled-Up"
1. Significant Benefits in Pilot Areas: Dual Benefits of Increased Efficiency and Reduced Costs
As of October 2024, over 5,000 hilly-grade tractors have been deployed in southern provinces such as Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, and Jiangxi, covering a variety of farming scenarios, including tea plantations, orchards, and terraced fields. In kiwifruit plantations in Xiangxi, Hunan, the use of specialized tractors has reduced plowing time per mu from four hours to one, and reduced labor costs from 80 yuan per mu to 20 yuan per mu. In the pomelo production areas of Meizhou, Guangdong, tractors combined with fertilizer spreaders achieve "precision fertilization," reducing fertilizer use by 20% and increasing yields per mu by 15%. According to statistics, farmers in the pilot areas have seen an average annual income increase of approximately 12,000 yuan, and the agricultural mechanization rate has increased by 18 percentage points.
2. Policy Combination: Subsidies + Training + Services Provide Comprehensive Support
Purchase Subsidy: The government provides a 30% purchase subsidy for hilly tractors, with provinces like Hunan and Guangxi offering an additional 10% local subsidy. This means farmers only pay 60% of the original price. For example, a tractor priced at 50,000 yuan can be purchased for only 30,000 yuan.
Operational Training: 20 "Hillary Agricultural Machinery Training Bases" have been established in cities like Changsha, Hunan and Kunming, Yunnan. Agricultural machinery experts have been invited to provide theoretical instruction and practical training, training a total of 20,000 agricultural machinery operators. Training covers tractor operation, implement replacement, and routine maintenance, ensuring farmers can afford and use the tractors effectively.
After-Sales Service: The company has established 50 after-sales service stations in southern provinces, offering 24-hour on-site repair services, with parts arriving within 48 hours. In Nanning, Guangxi, repair personnel arrive on-site within an average of two hours after farmers report a problem, achieving a resolution rate of over 95%.
3. Future Plan: Achieve a 60% Mechanization Rate in Hilly Areas by 2027
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has formulated the "Agricultural Mechanization Development Plan for Southern Hilly Areas (2024-2027)," which clearly states that by 2027, the tractor penetration rate in southern hilly areas will increase from the current 45% to 60%, and the comprehensive mechanization rate for planting, cultivation, and harvesting of major crops will reach 70%. To achieve this goal, subsidies will be further expanded, R&D investment will be increased, and tractor models better suited to hilly terrain will be launched to support the modernization of agriculture in southern China.
