Comparative economics of manual and mechanical rice transplantation in District Sheikhpura

Author(s) : Muhammad Younas, Wardah Qamar, Rabiqa Ahmed, Razaullah Khan, Usman Hassan, Muhammad Tariq, Ishtiaq Hassan

Digital object identifier:

doi.org/10.52587/JAF030202

Abstract:

The study was designed to compare economics of mechanical transplanting of rice over manually transplanting method of rice cultivation in the context of low yield in manual transplanting over mechanical method. The primary data was collected through face to face farmer interviews for three different categories of rice varieties namely i) basmati ii) coarse and iii) PK-1121 by using a questionnaire. The results revealed that average paddy yield of Basmati , Coarse and PK-1121 rice varieties grown by manual transplanting method was 45, 49, 48 monds /acre respectively as compared to 51, 52, 51 monds by mechanical transplanting method. However, per acre economic cost of production by manual means for Basmati (PKR 70847/acre), Coarse (PKR 62031/acre) and PK-1121 (PKR 64464/acre) rice varieties were less than with mechanical transplanting method i.e, PKR.77295, 72029 and 75445 respectively. Overall a significant rise in per acre economic profit was observed for Basmati and Coarse varieties grown by mechanical transplantation method i.e., PKR. 21186 and PKR. 9190 per acre as compared to manual method of transplanting i.e. PKR. 17376 and PKR.6601 per acre. BCR (Benefit-Cost-Ratio) for these three categories of rice varieties is greater for mechanical transplantation method i.e., 2.43, 2.03 and 2.44 as compared to manual means which is 2.33, 1.90 and 2.44 respectively for basmati, coarse and PKR-1121. Moreover, extent of harvesting with rice specific kaboota harvester was more towards mechanically transplanted area as compared to manually transplanted area of all the 03 categories of rice namely basmati, coarse and PK-1121.