Combine harvesting efficiency as affected by rice field size and other factors and its implication for adoption of combine contracting service

Phetmanyseng Xangsayasane,Senthong Phongchanmisai,Chay Bounphanousai,Shu Fukai

doi:10.1080/1343943x.2018.1561196

Phetmanyseng Xangsayasane, Senthong Phongchanmisai + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1080/1343943x.2018.1561196

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Abstract

ABSTRACTSmall combine harvesters have become popular in SE Asia recently, but small rice fields appear to limit its field operation and hence its wide adoption by smallholders. Combine harvesting efficiency, the area of paddy field harvested per unit time, was determined for 6 seasons in Central Lao PDR for over 400 fields varying in size and toposequence position, rice varieties grown, crop establishment methods and crop conditions particularly lodging at harvest. Combine harvesting efficiency was commonly about 3 ha/day in small fields of less than 1000 m2 and increased with the increase in field size up to 5 ha/day in the size of about 2000–3000 m2, but not beyond this range. Lower efficiency was also found in wet season than dry season, and also crops established from broadcasting compared with transplanting and drill seeding, at least partly because broadcasted crops tended to lodge more often than crops established from other methods. Photoperiod sensitive, long duration varieties grown in lower field positions also tended to have lower combine efficiency. Using the data obtained in this work, net return of combine adoption to farmers was estimated for different combine charge fees and yield levels. Increasing combine harvesting efficiency by 50% with increased field size would increase the net income of combine harvesting contractors by around 50% at current charges, allowing them to reduce the combine harvesting fees they charge. This would aid the adoption of combine harvesting services.

Highlights

In some SE Asian countries, many young people have moved out of rural areas, causing labour shortage and increased cost of employing labourers
The results of first three seasons of experiments (DS2014/15, WS2015, DS2015/16) conducted in Khammuan and Bolikhamxay provinces shows that the combine efficiency as measured by the area of rice field harvested in one day was low at 3.0 ha/day for small paddies less than 1000 m2, and the efficiency increased with field size
The maximum efficiency of about 5 ha/ day was obtained in the field size of 2000–3000 m2, and no further efficiency gain was found over 3000 m2 (Figure 1)

Summary

Introduction

In some SE Asian countries, many young people have moved out of rural areas, causing labour shortage and increased cost of employing labourers (e.g. for LaoPDR). Without spending the time for hand cutting, collecting, sun-drying in the field and carrying dried paddy to a threshing service, the farmer who uses combine harvesting can reduce the cost of growing rice substantially and increase labour productivity. Bunna et al (2018) showed that yield harvested by combine is similar to that harvested by hand, as grain loss at harvesting in the field may be slightly higher, but this is compensated for smaller grain loss in postharvest operations of threshing and transport They showed that head rice yield, the ratio of whole grain weight after milling to the rough rice weight, may be somewhat lower in combine harvested crops, which may be related to grain drying methods employed following different harvesting methods in their experiments. If combine harvesting efficiency, the area that a combine can harvest for a given time period, is improved and combine contractors make extra profit, there is good chance that the combine fees become lower

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