National, December 5, 2025: Karnataka marked a significant step toward cleaner and more affordable farm mechanisation with Sri N. Chaluvarayaswamy, Honourable Minister of Agriculture, Government of Karnataka, inaugurating the country’s first Electric Tractor Mela at the College of Horticulture, University of Horticultural Sciences Campus, Bengaluru, alongside the public launch of Moonrider’s electric tractors.

The mela was organised by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) in partnership with Villgro and Moonrider, and facilitated by the Centre of Excellence for Farmer-Producer Organizations (CoE-FPO), bringing together over 200 farmers from 100 FPOs across Karnataka.

In his inaugural address, the Honourable Minister welcomed the initiative as a timely step toward enabling smallholder farmers to transition to cleaner, more efficient, and cost-effective agricultural technologies.

Anoop Srikantaswamy, Founder & CEO, Moonrider, said, “This mela marks an important milestone for us at Moonrider as we bring high-performance e-tractors directly to the farming community. Seeing farmers interact with our 27HP, 50HP, and 75HP tractors, understanding the savings, the power, and the reliability strongly reinforces our belief that clean and economical farming is no longer a distant promise. It is real, it is practical, and it is happening on Indian fields today”.

During the event, NRDC launched a report titled Powering Agriculture: Unlocking the Potential of Electric Tractors in India, which highlights electric tractors as a transformative solution, showing up to 80% lower operating costs, nearly 50% lower total cost of ownership, and clear health benefits due to the elimination of heat, noise, and toxic diesel emissions. It also outlines a clear policy roadmap for states and the Centre to accelerate adoption at scale.

Dipa Singh Bagai, Country Director, NRDC India, said, “This report is a turning point for India’s agricultural future. The evidence is clear that electric tractors are not just cleaner but significantly cheaper to operate, healthier for farmers, and easier to use. They bring modern mechanisation within reach for small and marginal farmers”.

The mela focused on improving farmers’ access to modern, sustainable mechanisation technologies that reduce input costs while improving on-ground productivity, with dignitaries and sector experts engaging directly with farmers to address their queries on electric tractor performance, costs, and on-field application.

“Amid rising production costs and growing environmental concerns faced by farmers, electric tractors are emerging as a long-term solution by reducing dependence on diesel, lowering carbon emissions, and improving efficiency. When implemented through Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs) and rental systems managed by FPOs, this technology can provide small and marginal farmers access to modern mechanization at affordable rates. Electric tractors cost around 75% less to operate compared to diesel tractors, and if powered by free solar energy, even greater savings can be achieved,” said Dr Seetharamu G K, Director CoE-FPO.

A closed-door roundtable discussion brought together ecosystem stakeholders, including financiers, think tanks, and OEMs, to examine key barriers to electric tractor adoption, with a focus on policy reforms and financing frameworks needed to ensure inclusive and equitable access for farmers.

Srinivas Ramanujam, CEO, Villgro, said, “Sustainable mechanisation requires more than innovation; it needs the right ecosystem to scale. Platforms like this mela bring FPOs, agricultural institutions, local governments, and startups together to ensure technologies reach farmers in ways that are practical, affordable, and trusted”.

To enable continuous access, Moonrider’s e-tractors will now be deployed at College of Horticulture, Bengaluru and monitored by CoE-FPO and the Anekal Horticulture Farmer Producer Organizations, Anekal enabling farmers from across the state to visit, learn, and experience the technology.