USE OF MECHANISATION INDEX FOR ASSESSING LEVEL OF ENERGY CONSUMPTION IN SOME NEWLY RECLAIMED AGRICULTURAL FARMS

Abstract

The levels of agricultural mechanization at some farms on the new reclaimed areas of Nubaria in El Behira Governorate were measured and the productivity of each surveyed farms was analyzed. The purpose of this study was to determine the degree, level and capacity index of agricultural mechanization in the district and their relations with productivity. The results of the farm mechanization index revealed that the highest level of mechanization was 62.99% for the sugar beet area while the lowest mechanization index was 26.53% for West Nubaria area, while the total productivity ranged between 0.0115 ha/kW.h and 0.0557 ha/kW.h. The average crop yields on maize ranges between 1.2 to 1.7 Mg/ha and that of sugar beet ranges between 11 to 13 Mg/ha. The general analysis of the study indicated that high levels in agricultural mechanization policy, existence of favorable conditions for full integration of agricultural mechanization, enough essential infrastructure and financial credits among other variables explained the observed high scale of production (sugar beet area) and vice versa (west Nubaria area).