Indian Farmer Invents "Tree Scooter" For Swift Harvest Runs Up And Down

The farmer says he has sold more than 300 of the "tree scooters", which cost Rs 62,000 each

Ganapathi Bhat goes to work most mornings carrying a homemade contraption consisting of a small motor, a rudimentary seat and a set of wheels - all expertly combined to help the farmer swiftly climb tall trees.

The 50-year-old farms areca nut in the coastal town of Mangaluru in Karnataka and has to regularly scale 60- to 70-foot-tall trees to harvest his crop.

Too old to climb, and unable to find cheap labour, Mr Bhat said he took it upon himself to invent a device that would make his life easier.

Mr Bhat calls it a "tree scooter".