Performance evaluation and cost economics for the mechanized harvesting of wheat crop using reaper-cum-binder at Sitamarhi district of Bihar

Abstract

Wheat is one of the most important crop for Bihar, but productivity is lower as compared to other states. Mechanized harvesting of the wheat crop would ensure timeliness in operation, which would enhance crop yield and farmer’s economic benefits. The need of evaluating their different facets of economics for ensuring lower losses and higher efficiencies is of utmost importance and need of the hour. Therefore, under this project reaper-cum-binder was evaluated for its economics. In harvesting by the reaper-cum-binder, for the wheat crop, total grain losses were found to be 71.34 kg/ha whereas for manual harvesting it was found to be 52.41 kg/ha. The grain to straw ratio for the wheat crop by the reaper-cum-binder and by manual harvesting were the same as 1:1.2. The break-even hectares and break-even hours of reaper-cum-binder for the wheat crop for as 99.197 hectares and 260.90 hours, respectively. It was found that the labour requirement decreased drastically in case of reaper-cum-binder as compared to manual harvesting. The benefit of custom hiring rate for reaper cum binder was 13.2 per cent. The economics of the machine was compared to the conventional method of harvesting and the profit by using the reaper-cum-binder was found to be 1418.84Rs. /ha.