“Today, even the Cauvery delta does not have sufficient labour to carry out transplantation and harvesting. So, the mechanisation has become a necessity,” he told reporters at the Secretariat.

Asked whether the move would affect the livelihood of agricultural workers, Mr. Arumugam replied in the negative and said the need for mechanisation had been felt by farmers in the delta.

Study tour

The Minister, who recently visited Japan, China and Thailand along with a team of officials including Agriculture Secretary Surjit K. Chaudhary, said the tour was to ascertain the level of mechanisation in the East Asian nations.

The Minister and others held discussions with four companies.

Representatives of the firms were likely to come by the month-end and find out the suitability of their equipment to soil conditions in Tamil Nadu.

The Government proposes to procure some machines and give them on rent to small and marginal farmers, who had registered themselves with authorities.

“Our intention is put them to use in all the districts,” the Minister said. The number of machines to be purchased would be decided depending upon the requirement and financial conditions.