Mechanization in rice farming
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| Name of KVK | : | KVK, Roha, Raigad |
| Crop & variety Enterprise | : | Mechanization in rice farming |
| Name & address | : | Shri. Ganesh Balkrishna Mhaskar
At. Muthavali, Po. Pugaon, Tal. Roha, Dist. Raigad |
| Background Info | : | Shri. Ganesh Mhaskar is traditionally a rice growing farmer, which is his family’s way of earning. He used to accomplish all farming operations with the help of family members as well as few hired labour using manual or bullock drawn implements. He owns 3 ha of land which is generally used for rice cultivation, from which he used to earn about Rs. 1.00 lakh per year. He contacted KVK in the year 2010 when he started to face difficulties in obtaining labour for farming activities and suffered losses due to increasing wages. Since then he has attended vocational trainings, various demonstrations, farmers’ rallies etc. organized by KVK that has helped him to get first-hand information. |
| Technology demonstrated | : |
KVK scientists advised Mr. Mhaskar to introduce different aspects of mechanization in his rice farming. He initially started using power tiller for puddling operation before transplanting, which he used to complete with bullock drawn plough before. Later on he has purchased his own power tiller and started renting it out after completing his own field work.
On farm trials of vertical conveyor reaper were conducted on his farm by KVK. He was quite convinced with the technology and started harvesting rice using reaper. |
| Institutional involvement | : | Mr. Ganesh Mhaskar is ex-trainee of vocational training programme on “Operation &Maintenance of Power tiller” organized by KVK, Roha. He obtained the expertise and knowhow of practical utilization of power tiller in this training.
Moreover, he is also a beneficiary of on farm trials of paddy reaper machine which were conducted at his field. |
| Success point | : | Introduction of mechanization on his paddy farm has helped Mr. Mhaskar to reduce input costs. Compared to traditional methods of ploughing, puddling and harvesting paddy, use of machinery has reduced cost of cultivation per ha to the tune of 70%. Various field operations are also completed in time as there is no hassle of finding labour to perform field work. |
| Outcome | : | With the intervention of power tiller, cost of puddling rice field was reduced by 50%. Seeing this success he initiated his own venture of custom hiring of power tiller by purchasing one of his own. This has added to his annual income by Rs. 0.50 lakh.
Due to use of reaper cost of harvesting is brought down to 70% of traditional harvesting method and also a lot of valuable time is saved. This definitely help him increase profits from rice farming. |
| Practice used | Total cost of cultivation
(Rs./ha) |
Gross income
(Rs./ha) |
Net income
(Rs./ha) |
Cost benefit ratio |
| Mechanized rice cultivation | 28,200 | 50,440 | 22,240 | 1:1.79 |
Photographs
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| Demonstration of use of Rice reaper | Farmers from surrounding area taking the information about reaper |
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| Demonstration of Rice combine Harvester | Shri. Mhaskar using the reaper during demonstration |