Agricultural Research Management Information System

Home
Research Summary
Search
About Us
- ARMIS
- Brochure
Contact Us
Report
User Request
Data Input
Help
- Operation Manual
  - PDF
  - Video
- Program Area & Commodity
We have reached 37600 number of research entries at this moment.

- Logout

Research Detail

Home
Research
Detail

Combine Harvester: Impact on Paddy Production in Bangladesh

Md. Kamrul Hasan
Department of Farm Power and Machinery, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh & Engineering Section, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet, Bangladesh

Md. Rostom Ali
Department of Farm Power and Machinery, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh

Chayan Kumer Saha
Department of Farm Power and Machinery, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh

Md. Monjurul Alam
Department of Farm Power and Machinery, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh

Md. Enamul Haque
The Metal (Pvt.) Limited, Head Office, Gulshan Circle-2, Dhaka-1212, Bangladesh.

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Due to migration of agricultural labor in non-farm sectors and increasing climate vulnerability it is a great challenge to keep pace of food production for the exponential growth of population in Bangladesh. For following the traditional paddy harvesting methods, significant amount of field losses has been occurred in every year. The study was conducted to evaluate performance of combine harvester in comparison to manual harvesting of paddy and identify the impact on agricultural production system in Bangladesh. The experiment was conducted at Wazirpur Upazila of Barisal district during Aman-2018 paddy harvesting using a combine harvester and also, manual harvesting was conducted at the same location. Financial analysis of combine harvester over manual method was carried out for comparison. Cost savings in mechanical harvesting of paddy were found 57.61% for using combine harvester over manual harvesting. Similarly, labors savings for using combine harvester was found 70% over manual harvesting. The estimated BCR of combine harvester is found 1.55. The break-even use of combine harvester is 35 ha/yr which indicates a combine harvester must operate above 35 ha/yr to have profit. The combine harvester will run on fully profit basis if it could be used after that minimum hectares. The average total harvesting losses (including harvesting, threshing and cleaning) were also found 1.61% and 6.08% for using combine harvester and manual harvesting, respectively. The losses of paddy will be reduced 4.47% using combine harvester over manual harvesting. The above results revealed that manual harvesting is a labor and cost involving system. On the other hand, mechanical harvester like combine harvester is a time, labor and cost saving system along with reducing harvesting losses. As a result, total paddy production might be increased, and which will help to contribute significantly to the development of livelihood status of rural community of Bangladesh.

Keywords: Paddy, Harvesting, Labor, Losses, Profit, Combine Harvester, BCR

Location: Wazirpur, upazila of Barisal district

Start Date: 00-00-2018

End Date: 00-00-2018

Program Area: Farm Mechanization

Commodity: Harvester

Objectives:

To evaluate the technical and economic performances of combine harvester and to analyze the benefit of mechanical harvesting system over manual harvesting system.

Methodology:

Study location- The experiment on both mechanical and manual harvesting of paddy were conducted at Wazirpur, upazila of Barisal district of Bangladesh. Three (3) plots for mechanical harvesting and three (3) plots for manual harvesting were considered and harvested during Aman-2018 (November- December). Selected combine harvester- A combine harvester (Model: DR150A) was selected and used for harvesting of paddy at the experimental site. The harvester is manufactured by Suzhou Wude Mechanical Parts Co., Ltd, China. Pictorial view of combine harvester and technical specifications of the combine harvester are presented. Paddy harvesting using combine harvester- For performance evaluation of the combine harvester, 03 (three) plots were selected and harvested during Aman- 2018. During paddy harvesting using combine harvester, all activities (harvesting to cleaning tasks) were performed in a single pass of the combine After harvesting, farmers carry clean paddy bag directly to home. Financial analysis- For financial performance evaluation of combine harvester during mechanical harvesting of paddy especially cost of operation of harvesting machine was determined by calculating fixed cost and variable cost. Harvesting cost, time and labor involvement in mechanical harvesting were also compared with manual harvesting. Total manual harvesting cost- For total manual harvesting cost estimation, labor involvement from harvesting to cleaning of paddy were counted and multiplied by the amount of wages per labor. The following equation was used to estimate the total manual harvesting cost. Total cost (BDT/ha) = Wages of labor (BDT/man) × No. of labor (man/ha).............(x). Benefits of mechanical harvesting- The costs of two different paddy harvesting methods like combine harvester and manual harvesting were compared to determine the benefits of mechanical harvesting. For combine harvester following equations were used to determine cost saving and percent of cost saving. Benefit-cost ratio- The benefit cost ratio is an important factor to measure the profitability of using combine harvester. If the benefit cost ratio (BCR) is greater than unity, then it will be economically viable. Break-even use- The break-even analysis is a useful tool to study the relationship between operating costs and returns. It is the intersection point at which neither profit nor loss is occurred. Above which the machine use can be considered as net gain (Gittinger, 1982). The break-even use of a combine harvester depends on its capacity of harvesting, power requirement, labor requirement and other charges.

Source of Information: J Bangladesh Agril Univ 17(4): 583–591, 2019

Article Link (Online Journal): DOI: https://doi.org/10.3329/jbau.v17i4.44629

Funding Source:

1.

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Technical and financial performances indicating parameters of the combine harvester were determined carefully and all financial parameters were compared with manual harvesting system. From cost savings, labor savings and BCR in mechanical harvesting of paddy using combine harvester indicate that, investment for combine harvester is highly profitable. Harvesting cost and labor savings in combine harvester was found 57.61% and 70%, respectively over manual harvesting. The estimated BCR of combine harvester is found 1.55. The break-even use of combine harvester is also found 35 ha/yr which indicates the combine harvester must operate above 35 ha/yr to have profit. The losses of paddy can be reduced 4.47% using combine harvester over manual harvesting. Also, all results revealed that mechanical harvester like combine harvester is a time, labor and cost saving system along with reducing harvesting losses, human drudgery and increasing cropping intensity and crop productivity. For that, total agricultural production might be increased, and which will contribute significantly to the development of livelihood status of rural community of Bangladesh.

Knowledge Management: Journal