CNH Helps Thai Rice Farmer Reduce Stubble Burning With New Holland Equipment
CNH has highlighted how its New Holland agricultural equipment can help farmers in Thailand reduce crop-residue burning and improve soil management.
The company’s latest A Sustainable Year story features rice farmer Pichai Tosa, who tested a New Holland TT3.50 tractor and mulcher during the April 2026 rice harvest.
The trial took place in Nakhon Sawan province in central Thailand. It demonstrated how machinery can offer farmers an alternative to burning rice straw after harvesting.
New Holland Equipment Offers Alternative to Stubble Burning
Pichai Tosa is an experienced rice and mung bean farmer. He also serves as president of a local rice production group.
During the trial, Tosa used the New Holland TT3.50 tractor and mulcher to chop rice straw into smaller pieces.
The chopped material could then remain on the field or be mixed into the soil.
As a result, farmers can return organic matter to the ground while preparing their fields for the next planting season.
The approach can also help retain soil moisture and reduce reliance on chemical fertilizers.
Crop Burning Creates Environmental Challenges
Open burning remains a common method for clearing agricultural fields after harvest.
Farmers often use the practice because it offers a quick way to remove rice straw and other crop residues.
However, burning contributes to air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, high temperatures at the soil surface can damage microorganisms and reduce soil carbon.
According to CNH, farmers burn approximately 4.8 million tons of rice straw annually in the plains of central Thailand.
Therefore, finding practical alternatives remains important for improving agricultural sustainability.
Tosa said farmers previously lacked information about the environmental effects of burning. However, newer technologies now provide better options.
CNH Focuses on Practical Crop Residue Management
The Thai field trial forms part of CNH’s wider efforts to promote sustainable agricultural practices.
Rather than treating crop residue as waste, the company aims to help farmers manage it as a useful resource.
Mark Brinn, Managing Director for Southeast Asia and Japan at CNH, said farmers need solutions that meet both their economic and environmental needs.
He explained that machinery, practical training and local partnerships can help farmers turn crop residue into a valuable agricultural resource.
Furthermore, these approaches can support more productive and resilient farming operations.
Building on Agricultural Sustainability Efforts in India
CNH has also introduced crop-residue management initiatives in India.
Through its Sustainable Environment Solution program, the company combines mechanized baling with farmer training and field demonstrations.
The program supports farmers in managing agricultural residue without relying solely on open burning.
Similarly, the Thailand trial demonstrates how suitable equipment and local cooperation can encourage alternative farming practices.
Supporting Sustainable Farming in Thailand
The New Holland TT3.50 tractor and mulcher trial highlights the potential benefits of CNH crop residue management solutions.
By chopping and retaining rice straw, farmers can improve residue handling while supporting soil health.
Meanwhile, reducing open burning can help limit agricultural air pollution and protect soil conditions.
The initiative reflects CNH’s focus on combining agricultural machinery, training and local partnerships to address practical challenges faced by farmers.
