Choose the implement first, then the tractor
A tractor does nothing on its own — the implement does the work. List every implement you will run in a year and buy for the PTO power the heaviest one needs.
Rule of thumb
- 20–30 HP: orchards, vegetables, inter-row work and plots up to 2–3 acres
- 31–40 HP: 3–8 acres, cultivator, small rotavator, haulage
- 41–50 HP: 8–15 acres, 6–7 ft rotavator, seed drill, thresher
- Above 51 HP: super seeder, baler, heavy soil, sugarcane and custom hiring
Look at PTO HP, not engine HP
Makers quote engine HP, but implements get PTO HP — usually 85–90% of engine HP. Subsidy ceilings are set by PTO HP too.
2WD or 4WD?
For wet paddy, slopes and heavy implements 4WD grips better, but costs roughly ₹1–1.5 lakh more. On dry, level land 2WD is enough.
One thing about subsidy
Under the 2025 SMAM guidelines, tractors above 40 PTO HP are mostly funded through custom hiring centres. Individual farmers find it easier to get subsidy on tractors up to 40 PTO HP.