Tractor Emission Norms (TREM) | 05 Nov 2025

Source: TH

Farmers’ organisations have opposed the Union government’s proposal to implement Tractor Emission Norms (TREM) Stage V for tractors from 1st October 2026, urging that the rules would force farmers to buy new tractors, increasing debt and economic hardship.

• TREM:  These are pollution-control standards set by the government to regulate and reduce harmful exhaust emissions from agricultural tractors and farm machinery.
  • They are similar to Bharat Stage (BS) norms for other vehicles but are specifically designed for agricultural equipment to limit pollutants like NOx, particulate matter (PM), hydrocarbons, and carbon monoxide.
• TREM Stages: India introduced tractor emission norms in 1999, followed by Bharat (Trem) Stage II in 2003 based on the Expert Committee on Auto Fuel Policy (Mashelkar Committee, 2002), and Bharat (Trem) Stage -III in 2005.
  • TREM-IIIA (2010–11) brought horsepower (HP)-based limits, and TREM-IV was implemented in 2023 for tractors above 50 HP to further curb emissions.
• Impact: TREM-IV and V norms for tractors above 50 HP could increase tractor prices by 20–25%, adding pressure on small farmers. 
  • Farmers insist TREM-V should apply only to tractors above 70 HP, mostly used for non-agricultural work.