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Feasibility Study of a Rice Transplanter in Mechanized Agriculture by Analysing Operation Cost and Performance Evaluation

M. U.Ahmmed
Senior Programme Specialist, DECC, BRAC

D. Roy
Senior Scientific Officer, Irrigation and Water Management Division, BRRI

N. H. Mahmud
Senior Scientific Officer, Irrigation and Water Management Division, BRRI

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

In rice, the planting methods have an impact on the growth and yield besides cost of cultivation and labour requirement. To get maximum returns, the cost of cultivation has to be reduced through the minimization of transplanting labour dependency. In this context mechanization is very important. Usage of farm machinery in Bangladesh agriculture has been increased at many operational sector of cultivation i.e. tillage, irrigation, weeding, threshing etc., but seeding or transplanting is still being operated manually. Recently, many private sectors have imported rice transplanter for mechanized transplanting of rice. This study was conducted at agricultural blocks of the Department of Agricultural Extension at Kurigram Sadar Upazila to assess the feasibility of mechanized rice transplanter in paddy field with a view to reduce the cost of cultivation. Field performance of a four row rice transplanter was evaluated and its acceptability was analyzed. Several data were collected from four trial plots and feedbacks of farmer group discussion in four field day programs. Transplanting by rice transplanter is 61 percent more profitable than that of conventional method. The effective field capacity, theoretical field capacity, field efficiency and fuel consumption of the rice transplanter were 0.159 ha/hr, 0.194 ha/hr, 81.83 percent and 0.6 lit/hr, respectively and those were all at satisfactory level. Cost analysis and other suitability ensure good prospect of the rice transplanter in future. To breakeven a rice transplanter owner should make a target to achieve maximum area of 24.69 hectare for a year to payback the investment for a custom hiring rate Tk. 5000 per hectare.

Keywords: Feasibility, Rice transplanter, Operation cost, Evaluation

Location: Field experiment in four selected demonstration plots at Kurigram district (Sadar upazila), Bangladesh

Start Date: 00-01-2011

End Date: 00-12-2011

Program Area: Farm Mechanization

Commodity: Performance evaluation

Objectives:

1. To study the field performance of a rice transplanter, 2. To compare with conventional transplanting method, 3. To assess feasibility of rice transplanter in farmers’ society, and 4. To analyze costing and break-even use of the machine with the cost of manual operation and hiring a custom operator.

Methodology:

This study used both primary and secondary data. Primary data were determined through direct field experiment in four selected demonstration plots at Kurigram district (Sadar upazila), Bangladesh in the year 2011. The plots were selected by the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) to implement the mechanized demonstration under the project of “Enhancement of Agricultural Production through Agricultural Mechanization”. Mechanical transplanting requires no seed bed. Seedlings were prepared on the tray. In this study ten trays were provided for each demonstration. When the age of seedlings became 12 to 15 days or three leaves were developed, the seedlings were transplanted in main field. Mechanical transplanting system requires no extra labours for intercultural management. Ten trays were put in the farmers’ home yard. Nothing but light watering was done every day. No skillful operations were needed for intercultural management. But, in the nursery, seedlings were kept for about 15 to 30 days. The local farmers of the study area observed that 15 man-day labours are required for developing seedlings in nursery. The total average time to transplant one hectare of land was calculated from the four trial plots. Total cost of transplanting by rice transplanter was calculated on the basis of fixed cost and variable cost of the rice transplanter. Break-even use of the rice transplanter was found with the cost of manual operation.

Source of Information: Journal of Agricultural Engineering,The Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh, Vol. 41/AE Number 1, June, 2014

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Transplanting by rice transplanter is 61 percent more profitable than that of conventional method. The effective field capacity, theoretical field capacity, field efficiency and fuel consumption of the rice transplanter were 0.159 ha/hr, 0.194 ha/hr, 81.83 percent and 0.6 lit/hr, respectively and those were all at satisfactory level. Cost analysis and other suitability ensure good prospect of the rice transplanter in future. To breakeven a rice transplanter owner should make a target to achieve maximum area of 24.69 hectare for a year to payback the investment for a custom hiring rate Tk. 5000 per hectare.

Knowledge Management: Journal