IMPACT OF CUSTOM HIRING ON FARM MECHANIZATION IN HARYANA

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2 IMPACT OF CUSTOM HIRING ON FARM MECHANIZATION IN HARYANA N. K. BANSAL S. MUKESH ALL INDIA COORDINATED RESEARCH PROJECT ON FARM IMPLEMENTS AND MACHINERY DEPARTMENT OF FARM MACHINERY AND POWER ENGG. CCS HAU, HISAR 2

3 INTRODUCTION Haryana emerged as a separate State in the federal galaxy of the Indian Republic on November 1, With just 1.37% of the total geographical area and less than 2% of India s population, Haryana has carved a place of distinction for itself during the past three decades. Whether it is agriculture or industry, canal irrigation or rural electrification, Haryana has marched towards modernity with leaps and bounds. Today, it enjoys the unique distinction in India of having provided electricity, metalled roads and potable drinking water to all its villages within record time. Haryana is among the most prosperous states in The climate of Haryana is arid to semi arid India, having one of the highest per-capita income in the country.with average rainfall of 455 mm. Around 70 % rainfall is received during the month from July to September and the remaining rainfall is received during Dec. to Feb. There are two agro climatic zones in the state. The north western part is suitable for Rice, Wheat, Vegetable and temperate fruits and the south western part is suitable cotton, wheat, raya, pearl millet, tropical fruits, exotic vegetables and herbal and medicinal plants. The total geographical area of the state is 4.42 m ha, which is 1.4 % of the geographical area of the country. The cultivable area is 3.8 m ha, which is 86 % of the geographical area of the state out of which 3.62 m ha i.e 96.2 % is under cultivation. The gross cropped area of the state is 6.32m ha. About 70% population of the State is engaged in agriculture, directly or indirectly. Mainly the crops of Haryana are divided into Kharif and Rabi crops. The main Kharif crops are paddy and cotton. Minor Kharif crops are sugarcane, pearl millet, sorghum, maize, cluter bean, pulses. The Main Rabi crops are wheat, barley, gram and oil seeds. Minor Rabi crops are massar, berseem, methi, onion and winter vegetables. The western Yamuna canal and the Bhakra canal system bring benefits to the cultivators of Haryana in a big way. The state has extensive tube well system. This irrigation net work has made Haryana into one of the front line states of India in terms of good grains production. The state is not only surplus in food grains but also makes large quantities available to the central pool to serve the needs of the deficit states and provides some for export. Mechanization of agriculture has assumed greater importance for increasing agricultural production and productivity by efficiently and effectively utilizing scarce resources and costly farm inputs improving timeliness factor, reducing labour cost and human drudgery etc. Farm mechanization is a dynamic process as the need and type of machines required continue to undergo a change with the development of agriculture in terms of new crops of high yielding varieties, cropping pattern, inputs used, availability of irrigation sources, shift in power sources, increase in the farm level, income of the farmers as well as general development of area. During , food grain production was million tonnes. The contribution of Haryana to central pool of wheat was 5.24 million tonnes. One of the factors reasonable for higher productivity is the usage of improved farm machinery. As on date, no. of tractors, tubewells, biogas plants and sprinkler sets has reached , , and nos. respectively. Farm mechanization has been helpful to bring about a significant improvement in agricultural productivity. Thus, there is strong need for mechanization of agricultural operations. The factors that justify the strengthening of farm mechanization in the country can be numerous. The timeliness of operations has assumed greater significant in obtaining optimal yields from different crops, which 3

4 has been possible by way of mechanization. For instance, the sowing of wheat is done up to the first fortnight of November. A delay beyond this period by every one week leads to about 1.50 quintals per acre decrease in the yield. This is also correct in the case of other crops and for other farm operations like hoeing, irrigation, harvesting, threshing and marketing which need to be performed at appropriate time otherwise the yield and farm income is affected adversely. Secondly, the quality and precision of the operations are equally significant for realizing higher yields. The various operations such as land leveling, irrigation, sowing and planting, use of fertilizers, plant protection, harvesting and threshing need a high degree of precision to increase the efficiency of the inputs and reduce the losses. For example, sowing of the required quantity of seed at proper depth and uniform application of given dose of fertilizer can only be possible with the use of proper mechanical devices. When such operations are performed through indigenous methods, their efficiency is reduced. Thirdly, the time taken to perform sequence of operations is a factor determining the cropping intensity. So as to ensure timeliness of various operations, it is quite inevitable to use such mechanical equipments which have higher output capacity and cut down the number of operations to be performed. This has helped in increasing area under cultivation and increase in cropping intensity. Higher productivity of land and labour is another factor, which clearly justifies farm mechanization. Not only the output per hour is more, the total labour requirement is also reduced. The custom hiring is a major factor in farm mechanization in Haryana. The performance and economics of latest agricultural machinery used by the farmers for their own and custom hiring are discussed in detail in this booklet. Rotavator: The rotavator prepares the field in single operation. It saves time, labour and cost. It carries out all tillage operations such as ploughing, harrowing and levelling in single operation. It destroys weeds, incorporates left over stubbles of previous crop, conserves soil moisture and pulverizes soil. It prepares seed bed in both wet and dry condition. Laser Leveller: This equipment is used for precision leveling of land thereby facilitates effective utilization of farm inputs. It saves 30% water used in irrigation. Zero-till seed-cum-fertilizer drill: This machine is used for sowing of wheat crop after harvesting of paddy crop without carrying out tillage operations. It saves time, fuel and labour besides judicious use of seed and fertilizer and other advantages. Hybrid Cotton seed cum fertilizer drill: This machine is used for sowing of hybrid cotton thereby saving valuable time and labour. With the help of this machine, desired seed rate i.e. 1.5 to 2.5 kg/ha can be easily achieved. Potato Planter: This machine is used for planting of potato tubers. Sowing by this machine saves time, labour and cost. Reaper Binder: This machine harvests and binds the wheat crop in single operation 4

5 Power Thresher: High capacity multicrop thresher threshes almost all the cereal crops with minor modification. It saves time, labour and cost. Straw combine: This machine is used to recover left over straw after harvesting of wheat by combine harvester. It recovers the left over crop straw to the tune of 50-60% & it also recovers Kg grains per ha. Usage of this machine has decreased menaces of straw burning in fields thereby conserving soil fertility and preventing air pollution. Potato digger: This machine is suitable for harvesting and exposing the potato tubers. The potato tubers are dropped on the ground behind the digger. The potatoes are completely exposed which helps in speeding manual picking. Post Hole Digger: This tractor operated machine is used for digging pits for sowing of horticultural crops. Usage of this machine saves valuable time and labour. 5

6 ROTAVATOR The preparation of wheat fields after harvesting the paddy crop is quite difficult in heavy soils. Due to crack development in the soil, the implement like mould board plough, disc plough and cultivators etc. do not work properly as there is tendency of lifting of big clods and the upper layer of the soil is not always loosened to the desired extent, nor is the proper mixing of different layers achieved. Frequent operation with the conventional implement has to be performed for the preparation of seedbed for the sowing of wheat crop. In addition, the stubble of rice crop creates problems especially when the crop is harvested with the combine harvester. It requires high amount of energy input (20-30%) for tillage operation. Studies conducted through out the world indicate that the rotary tiller prepare well puddled soil which reduces basic infiltration rate of water and results in saving in irrigation water during the initial days of transplanting. The studies conducted at CCS HAU Hisar revealed that tractor operated rotavator is quite effective to prepare seed bed in dry as well as wet conditions. Hence, the need was felt to popularize tractor operated rotavator in Haryana in rice-wheat cropping system and to encourage farmers/ rural youth to use it on custom hiring to increase their income. Rotavator helps to obtain specific benefits of early seed bed preparation soon after harvesting of paddy crop for sowing wheat, and after harvest of wheat crop for sowing of paddy. This, not only requires low energy in tillage operation but also mixes and incorporates the stubbles of previous crop thoroughly in the soil. This improves the soil physical properties and hence, result in increased crop yield. As an ideal seedbed is prepared with the use of rotavator, it facilitates the sowing of wheat by seed-cum- fertilizer drill without any operational problems. The specifications of tractor operated rotavator is given in Table 1. The constructional details of rotavator is given in Fig.1 and the exploded view of rotavator shaft alongwith the blades is given in Fig. 2. Gear box PTO shaft Adjustable skid Side Gear drive Sub axle bearing Trailing board L-type blade Main tubular axle Fig. 1: The constructional details of rotavator 6

7 Fig. 2: The exploded view of rotavator shaft Table 1: Specifications of Tractor Operated Rotavator Type of drive Side drive Blade type Width of rotavator (m) Gear box PTO speed (rpm) Over load protection device Chain/ Gear Single/ Double L-Type Tractor hp required Above 70 Single drive 540/1000 Shear bolt Status and adoption level of tractor operated Rotavator in Haryana The farmers and unemployed youth were motivated to use this machine on custom hiring basis as an enterprise. There was wide spread response in its adoption particularly in area where paddy- wheat crop rotation is followed. More interestingly small and medium farmers have adopted it as an enterprise for custom hiring. The adoption level of rotavators by the farmers/unemployed youth in Haryana is given in Fig 3. The no of rotavators purchased by farmers as on was 10,570. Out of Rs.1365 lakhs disbursed during on account of subsidy for the purchase of agricultural implements in Haryana, 40.51% of the amount was utilized for rotavators. During , under different schemes of subsidy, farmers have purchased 2824 nos. of rotavators. An impressive growth in the adoption of rotavator from a meager figure of 20 nos. in to a cumulative figure of 10,570 nos. in has been seen. The average actual field capacity of 2 metre width rotavator in puddling and dry land operation was observed to be 0.5 and 0.4 ha/hr respectively The area tilled by rotavator has risen from 15,700 ha/year in the year to 8,00,000 ha/year (Rabi and Kharif both) in the year

8 3000 No. of rotavators Total No. of rotavators in Haryana as on = 10, Fig.3: Adoption level of rotavators by farmers/unemployed youth in Haryana Performance and custom hiring of rotavator The entreprising farmers and unemployed rural youth are engaged in custom hiring business of rotavators i.e. incorporating Dhaincha (green manuring) and puddling simultaneously and to prepare seed bed as reduced tillage technology after harvesting of paddy crop for sowing wheat as shown in Fig.4 and Fig.5 respectively. On an average, the custom hiring rate is Rs.2000 per ha for 2 m width rotavator for puddling and Rs per ha for field preparation after paddy harvest for sowing of wheat crop.. The average area covered by one entrepreneur is about 100 hectares per year (50 hectares in puddling and 50 hectares for wheat sowing). The Economics of Rotavator under paddy wheat rotation during custom hiring is estimated and reported in Table 2. The net profit by an individual is about Rs. 1,12,500 per year. The pay back period of rotavator is one year. The total estimated area covered in Haryana with the use of rotavator for puddling is about 4,00,000 hectares. The total estimated area covered to prepare field as reduced tillage technology after harvesting of paddy for sowing of wheat is more than 4,00,000 hectares. Table 2: Performance and economics of Rotavator under paddy wheat rotation on custom hiring Particulars Puddling Av. Field capacity (ha/h) 0.5 Av. Fuel consumed (l/h) 5.0 Cost of operation Rs./ha 875 Av.rate of hiring (Rs./ha) 2000 Av. Work done on hiring (ha) 50 Net saving ( Rs./year) 56,250 Total saving per year, Rs Pay back period Benefit cost ratio 2.29 Note: The above data pertains to 2 m width of rotavator Wheat sowing ,250 1,12,500 One year

9 Fig. 4: Tractor operated rotavator incorporating Dhaincha (green manuring & puddling simultaneously) in standing water for paddy cultivation Fig. 5: Tractor operated rotavator used to prepare seed bed in single operation as reduced tillage technology after harvest of paddy crop for sowing wheat crop Farmers feed back Saves water, time, energy, labour and money For green manuring of dhaincha, moong and other crops in wet conditions followed by heavy planker in standing water for puddling and green manuring simultaneously Incorporate nicely straw and residues of paddy, sugarcane, cotton in the soil in single operation Better quality of work achieved in lesser number of operations compared to traditional practice both in dry and wet land condition Level of field not disturbed Used throughout the year No injury to finger during transplanting List of Rotavator manufacturers Refer Appendix A { Sl.No.3, 6, 11, 14, 23, 24, 31, 37, 40, 43, 48, 49, 53, 63, 68, 70, 71, 80, 87, 89, 90, 96} 9

10 LASER LEVELLER A laser-controlled land-leveling system has a rotating laser light source located somewhere in the field. As the laser rotates rapidly, a virtual "plane" of light is produced in the field (Fig.6). Lasers are a device that produces a very concentrated beam of light. A common household light bulb produces diffuse light whereas a laser produces a single, very thin, high energy beam. Fig. 6: Components of Laser Land Leveller If the earthmover has to climb over a high spot in the field, the blade will dig in as the receiver tries to stay locked on to the laser source. If the earthmover goes over a low spot, the blade will lift up, again keeping locked onto the laser source, and dump soil into the low spot. If the rotating source is tilted according to the prescribed grade, a grade can be installed in the field. Laser setups like this are also used to quickly survey fields. The control panel mounted on the tractor interprets the signal from the receiver and opens or closes the hydraulic control valve, which will raise or lower the bucket. 10

11 Major Components Drag Bucket The leveling bucket can be either 3-point linkage mounted or pulled by the tractor's drawbar. Pull type systems are preferred as it is easier to connect the tractor's hydraulic system to an external hydraulic ram. Laser Transmitter The laser transmitter is mounted on a tripod, which allows the laser beam to sweep above the tractor unobstructed. With the plane of light above the field, several tractors can work from one common transmitter (Fig.7) Fig.7: A view of laser transmitter Laser Receiver The laser receiver is an omni-directional receiver that detects the position of the laser reference plane and transmits these signals to the control box. The receiver is mounted on a manual/hydraulic mast attached to the drag bucket (Fig.8). Fig.8: A view of laser receiver Control Panel The control box accepts and processes signals from the laser receiver. It displays these signals to indicate the drag buckets position relative to the finished grade. When the control box is set to automatic, it provides electrical output for driving the hydraulic valve. The control box is mounted on the tractor within easy reach of the operator. The three control box switches are On / Off, Auto/ Manual, and Manual Raise/ Lower (which allows the operator to manually raise or lower the drag bucket) (Fig.9). Fig.8: A view of control panel Hydraulic Control System The hydraulic system of the tractor is used to supply oil to raise and lower the leveling bucket. The oil supplied by the tractor's hydraulic pump is normally delivered at psi pressure. As the hydraulic pump is a positive displacement pump and always pumping more oil than required, a pressure relief valve is needed in the system to return the excess oil to the tractor reservoir. If the relief valve is not large enough or malfunctions, damage can be caused to the tractor's hydraulic pump. The solenoid control valve controls the flow of oil to the hydraulic ram, which raises and lowers the bucket. The desired rate at which the bucket raises and lowers will 11

12 depend on the operating speed. The faster the ground speed the faster the bucket will need to adjust. The rate at which the bucket will raise and lower is dependent on the amount of oil supplied to the delivery line. How to level the land with laser land leveller Laser leveling requires soil to be shifted from the high points of the field to the low points in the most cost effective way. In most situations fields need to be plowed and a topographic survey is undertaken before levelling commences. Step-1 : Plowing the field Plow the field preferably from the center of the field outwards. It is preferable to plow the field when the soil is moist because if the soil is plowed dry a significant increase in tractor power is required and large clod sizes may result. If the soil is very dry a one-way disc or moldboard may be required. Rotary tillers, disc harrows or cultivators are ideal for second workings. All surface residues need to be cut up or removed to aid soil flow to the bucket. Step-2 : Conducting a topographic survey Once the field is plowed, a topographic survey is conducted to record the high and low spots in the field. From the surveyed readings, the mean height of the field is established by taking the sum of all the readings and dividing by the number of readings taken. Then using a field diagram and the mean height of the field, a strategy to effectively move soil from high to low areas is finalized. Step-3 : Levelling the field The laser-controlled bucket should be positioned at a point that represents the mean height of the field. The cutting blade should be set slightly above ground level (1-2 cm). The tractor should then be driven in a circular direction from the high areas to the lower areas in the field. To maximize working efficiency, as soon as the bucket is near filled with soil the operator should turn and drive towards the lower area. Similarly as soon as the bucket is near empty the tractor should be turned and driven back to the higher areas. When the whole field has been covered in this circular manner, the tractor and bucket should then do a final levelling pass in long runs from the high end of the field to the lower end. The field should then be re-surveyed to make sure that the desired level of precision has been attained. Benefit of laser controlled land levelling system Save water: Laser controlled land levelling technology could normally save water by 30%. Save land: Laser controlled land levelling technology controls the ridge of field and could save 3% to 5% of land. Save fertilizer: Because of increasing the flatness, it decreases the lose of fertilizer and increases the rate of utilization of fertilizer to 20%, ensuring better seedling emergence efficiency. Increase production: Every unit area increases the production by 20% to 30%. Decrease cost: Using the technology could decrease the production cost of rice, wheat, soybean, cotton and corn by 6.3% to 15.4%. Constraints For Adoption Require skilled operator 12

13 Field performance The field performance of laser leveler varied from 0.13 to 0.4 ha/h depending upon amount of soil cut (Table 3). Cost of levelling was Rs.1250 to 2500 per ha. The economics of laser leveler is given in Table 4. There was a net saving of Rs.1375/ha when an entrepreneur charged Rs.3000 per ha. If an entrepreneur use the laser land leveler for 400 hours per year, then he can save Rs.1,10,000 per year. The pay back period of laser leveller is three years when the cost of laser leveller is taken as Rs.3 to 3.5 lakh. The benefit cost ratio is Table 3: Performance of Laser leveller Field capacity 0.4 ha/hr For 10 cm soil cut 0.2 ha/hr For 10 to 15 cm soil cut 0.13 ha/hr For 15 to 20 cm soil cut No. of persons required One Cost of levelling Rs.1250 to 2500/ha Saving in water 30 to 40% Increase in yield 10 to 15% Table 4: Economics of Laser leveller on Custom hiring Total No. of entrepreneurs who purchased as on No. of entrepreneurs who purchased in Cost of operation, Rs./ha 1625 Custom hiring rate, Rs./ha 3000 Average use by one entrepreneur, hrs/year 400 Net profit by an individual, Rs/year 1,10,000 Cost of laser leveller Rs.3 to 3.5 lakh Pay back period Three year Benefit Cost ratio 1.85 List of Laser land leveller Manufacturers Refer Appendix A { Sl.No.1, 2, 12, 14, 24, 28, 30, 48, 59, 60, 80, 81, 83, 84, 91} 13

14 ZERO TILL SEED CUM FERTILIZER DRILL Rice and wheat are the two major cereal crops of India. Haryana is one of the important rice-wheat growing state of the country and is contributing to the central pool of food by producing rice-wheat over and above its own requirements. Ricewheat production in the state has increased many folds since its inception. This has been made possible through increase in area under the crop and through the adoption of new crop production technology. There was 1,92,000 and 7,43,000 hectares of area under rice and wheat crop respectively in the year which increased to 12,10,000 and 24,82,000 hectares in respectively. Fig.10: Zero till seed cum fertilizer drill in operation in paddy harvested field The feasibility trials undertaken at CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar have indicated that the no-tillage system of planting of wheat crop is very cost effective and the crop yields obtained are quite comparable. Large numbers of farmers in Haryana State has already adopted no-till seed drill and are being benefited. With this in view, the project was undertaken to give a further boost to the no till planting of wheat crop after paddy and to popularize this innovative technique amongst the farmers practicing paddy-wheat rotation system in the state. Traditional Practices for Wheat Sowing and Necessity for Development of No Till Sowing Wheat sowing by conventional methods requires large number of tillage operations to prepare a fine seed bed after paddy harvesting. Generally, 6-8 or even more tillage operations are required which cost both time and money for the farmers. Moreover, shortage of time after paddy harvest to wheat sowing creates uncertainty and delay in sowing operation which results in poor crop yields. Besides, there is low lying and water logged areas which never get dried so it becomes difficult to enable the tillage equipment to accomplish the normal tillage operations. This results in delayed sowing of wheat crop or sometimes, even the sowing of crop can not be done. Therefore, keeping in view the limitations of time and high expense of energy required in the conventional tillage system for wheat sowing, the feasibility of no-till sowing of wheat assumes significance. Salient features of Tractor Drawn Zero Till Seed -cum -Fertilizer Drill The tractor drawn Zero till seed- cum -fertilizer drill was initially developed at G.B. Pant University of Agricultural and Technology, Pantnagar and subsequently modified to cater to the site needs. The salient features are described in Fig. 11. The specifications of tractor drawn zero till seed -cum -fertilizer drill is given in Table 5. 14

15 Main frame Seed and fertilizer boxes Fertilizer metering device Depth control side wheels Iron/ wooden platform or stand Diamond tip of furrow / slit opener Seed metering device Power transmission unit Hitch points Fig.11: Zero-Till Seed-cum-Fertilizer Drill and its major components Table 5: Specifications of Tractor drawn Zero till seed cum fertilizer drill Type of drive Side drive Type of furrow opener Cutting portion of furrow opener Rake angle, degrees Relief / clearance angle, degrees Width of machine Tractor hp required Machine size ( LxWxH), mm Size of frame(lxwxt), mm Seed metering device Fertilizer metering device Ground wheel: Over all weight, kg Field capacity ( ha/hr) Cost of machine, Rs. Ground wheel through sprocket chain arrangement Single Inverted T-Type 8mm thick high carbon steel bit welded to 13 tynes x 600 x x 65 x 5 Flutted feed roller of die casted aluminum. No. of flutes=10 Forced feed gravity type with adjustable hole and vertical rotor agitator Front mounted floating type with lugs on wheel periphery. Diameter = 380mm Width = 105mm No.of lugs = 10 Height of lug = 30mm Lug angle = ,000 Status and adoption level of Zero till seed -cum -fertilizer drill Tractor drawn zero till drill was popularized in rice wheat system and rural youth and farmers were encouraged and motivated to adopt this machine on custom hiring basis as an income generation activity. There was overwhelming response particularly in areas where paddy- wheat rotation is followed specially in water logged areas. The farmers and young unemployed rural youths have already purchased zero till seed cum fertilizer drills as on Interestingly, small and medium farmers have adopted it as an enterprise for custom hiring. The number of machines procured by the farmers in Haryana is given in Fig

16 Out of Rs.1365 lakhs disbursed during on account of subsidy for the purchase of agricultural implements, 11.35% of the amount was utilized for zero till seed cum fertilizer drill. During , under different schemes of subsidy, farmers have purchased 1411 nos. of zero till seed cum fertilizer drill. The no. of zero till seed cum fertilizer drill was only 1038 in and its cumulative population has reached 13,594 in the year The area sown by zero till seed cum fertilizer drill has risen from 20,000 ha/year in the year to 1,00,000 ha/year in the year No. of Zero till drills 3000 No. of zero till seed cum fertilizer drill as on = 13, Fig. 12: No. of entrepreneurs of zero till seed cum fertilizer drill Success of zero till seed -cum -fertilizer drill on c ustom hiring CCS Haryana Agricultural University has undertaken intensive research and large scale demonstrations of zero-till seed-cum-fertilizer drill at farmer s fields which can accomplish sowing of wheat crop without any tillage operation. Thus, the machine, not only saves tillage costs and energy but eliminates time on seed bed preparation. The crop yields obtained are at par with farmer s practice. Weed management of fields planted by zero-till drill was much more effective especially that of phalaris minor weed. Zero-till seed-cum-fertilizer drill was operated by 35 hp tractor and covered 4-5 ha/day. The performance and economics of zero till seed cum fertilizer drill for custom hiring is given in Table 6. The entrepreneurs/ farmers are charging on custom hiring an average Rs per hectare. Total Earning is estimated to be Rs. 12,500 per year and the pay back period of machine is three years. There is about 70% -80% saving in fuel. The capacity of machine is 0.4ha/h. The price of machine is Rs /-. The average area covered by an entrepreneur is 50 hectares per year. The total area covered by zero till drill in Haryana was about 1.0 lac hectares in each year started from There are about 40 manufacturers who are engaged in the production of zero-till seed-cum-fertilizer drill and marketing in Haryana. There was saving of Rs.2500/ha in lieu of not doing any tillage operation. Therefore, the Benefit Cost ratio of this machine when used for his own farm was 3.33 whereas on custom hiring it was

17 Table.6: Performance and economics of zero till seed cum fertilizer drill on custom hiring Particulars Field capacity (ha/h) Fuel consumed (l/hr) Total No. of entrepreneurs who purchased as on No. of entrepreneurs who purchased in Cost of operation, Rs./ha Cost of field preparation in conventional practice, Rs./ha Rate of custom hiring, Rs./ha Average area covered by one entrepreneur, ha/year Saving, Rs/ha Net profit by an individual, Rs/year Cost of machine, Rs. Pay back period Benefit Cost ratio For own use For custom hiring ,500 32,000 Three years Feedback from Farmers: 1. Timeliness in sowing (7-8 days earlier than traditional) 2. Saves liters of diesel per hectare which resulted in saving of natural resources and environment % less infestation of weeds 4. Saves irrigation water up to 10-15% during first irrigation 5. Two days early and uniform germination and better plant stand than traditional 6. No crust formation after rains. Hence, no effect of rains on germination 7. Improvement in crop yield 8. Improvement in soil structure and fertility 9. No lodging of crops at the time of maturity in case of heavy rains and winds 10. Machine is simple and easy to operate List of Zero till seed cum fertilizer drill manufacturers Refer Appendix A { Sl.No. 3,7, 8, 11, 14, 17, 19, 22, 31, 33, 34,38, 39, 40, 43,46, 48, 50, 58, 61, 63, 64, 65, 66, 68, 69, 70, 71, 74, 75, 76, 80, 82, 85, 87, 90, 91, 92, 96} 17

18 Bt. Cotton Planter Several factors that influence the field emergence of seed and field plant population are the quantity of seed planted, viability of seed, treatment of the seed with chemicals to kill soil micro-organisms, use of fuzzy seed or delinted seed, planting depth, type of soil, moisture content of the soil, types of seed dropping mechanism, size of cell in planting plate, level of seed in seed hopper, distribution of the seed, type of furrow opener (runner or shovel), width of furrow opener, prevention of loose soil getting under seed, uniform seed coverage, type of covering device, pressing or firming the soil around the seed, type of press wheel or device, placement of fertilizer in relation to seed at planting time, type of seed bed, time of planting in relation to season, and experience and skill of the operator. The scattering of seed results in unevenly sown hills, which require an additional work to thin or transplant later. It is generally known that the scattering is caused mainly by improper design of the metering device, seed tube and seed release height. The lesser seed release height and straight short seed tubes reduce the scattering. Inclined cell type Bt. cotton planter places desired quantity of seed without scattering at regular intervals within the rows. Therefore, metering devices for the cotton planter holds desired quantity of seed per hill and drop them on the ground at almost equally spaced intervals. Planting of cotton and other bold seeded crops like pulses are generally done by inclined cell type planters where row to row as well as plant to plant distance is essential for the seed saving and better crop production. The seeds are sown in line at the depth of mm with two seeds per hill maintaining the desired spacing between row and plants. This technique results in uniform plant spacing, seed depth and helps further mechanization of intercultural farming operation that reduces the total cost of cultivation. In inclined cell plate type planter seed sowing produced more consistent row to row distribution of seeds and reduction in plant stand variability. Constructional details The machine consists of a main frame, ground wheels, seed and fertilizer hoppers, furrow openers, power transmission system, and three point hitch (Fig. 13). The metering of Bt. cotton seed is done with the help of inclined cell plates (Fig. 14). A view of cotton crop sown by Bt. Cotton planter is given in Fig. 15. The seed metering mechanism was lowered down near to ground level to avoid scattering of seeds. Fertilizer is metered with the help of fluted rollers. Ground wheel provides drive to the metering shafts through the sprocket and chain arrangement (Fig.16). The depth of planting can be adjusted by lowering or raising ground wheel. The major specifications of planter are given in Table 7. 18

19 Fig. 13: A view of Bt. Cotton planter Fig. 14: View of inclined cell type plate used for sowing Fig. 15: A view of cotton crop sown by cotton planter (1-Fertilizer box, 2- Seed box, 3- Main frame,4- Furrow opener of seed, 5- Furrow opener of fertilizer, 6- Ground Wheel, 7-Speed reduction box and 8- hitching point) Fig. 16: Side view of improved prototype Bt. cotton planter 19

20 Sr. No Table 7: Specifications of inclined cell plate Bt. cotton planter Particulars Specifications Overall dimension, mm Power source Tractor (up to 25 hp) No. of rows 3 No. of cells on the periphery of cell plate 6 Row to row spacing, mm 1000 Furrow openers Shoe type Seed metering device Inclined cell plate type Fertilizer metering device Fluted roller Power transmission to metering devices From ground wheel through sprocket and chain arrangement Speed ratios 1:3, 1:2.4 and 1:2 (seed metering device: ground wheel) Field performance of Bt. Cotton planter Field performance data of Bt. cotton planter is shown in Table 8. The tractor drawn inclined plate planter having inclined cell type seed metering mechanism was tested for sowing Bt. cotton at farmer s fields. In year 2006, twelve trials were arranged covering an area of 70 hectares. The seed rate used was 1.5 to 2.5 kg/ha. The row to row spacing was 1.0 metre and plantto plant spacing was cm. The average field capacity of Bt. cotton planter was 0.7 to 0.8 ha per hour. The field efficiency was 59%. The yield levels were q/ha whereas the average yield was observed to be 22 q/ha. The farmers were quite satisfied with its performance. 34 farmers were contacted who purchased the machine and all were quite satisfied. Table 8: Performance of Bt. cotton planter Sr. No Parameter Improved Bt. cotton planter Seed rate, kg/ha Fertilizer rate, kg/ha Average depth of sowing, cm 12 Average seed to seed distance, cm 65 to 70 Average depth of soil cover over the seed, cm 5.4 Average germination per 10 metre length Speed of operation, km/h 4.0 Fuel consumption, l/h Time lost per turn, sec Theoretical field capacity, ha/h 1.23 Actual field capacity, ha/h 0.73 Field efficiency, % 59 In year 2007, 20 trials were arranged for sowing Bt. cotton ( variety- Rasi 134) covering an area of 11.6 hectares and 14 trials were arranged for sowing Bt. cotton (variety- Mahyco 6301)) covering an area of 5.6 hectares. The germination was in the range of 14 to 16 plants per 10 metre length. The seed rate used was 1.5 kg/ha. The row to row spacing was 1.0 metre. The average yield was observed to be q/ha in Rasi 134 while in Mahyco it was q/ha. The observations on 30 20

21 trails conducted by the farmers were recorded for sowing different variety of hybrid cotton at farmers fields. The farmers covered 108 ha (own area) and 612 ha on custom hiring. The seed rate used was 1.2 to 2.5 kg/ha and the average yield was 19.3 q/ha. The machine is commercially available and the present cost of machine is Rs.30,000. The cost of operation was Rs.425/ha while with manual dibbling it was Rs.900/ha when the cost of labour was taken as Rs. 150 per day. Thus, there was saving of Rs. 475 /ha by using the machine. The benefit cost ratio is 1.47 and pay back period is three year (Table 9). Table 9: Cost economics of Bt. cotton planter Labour requirement, man-h/ha Cost of operation Rs./h Rs./ha , Custom hiring charges, Rs/ha Cost of 3-row Bt. cotton planter, Rs. Saving, Rs/ha Average area covered by one entrepreneur, ha/year 7. Net profit by an individual, Rs/year Yearly Benefit cost ratio, Payback period, years Total No. of entrepreneurs who 7750 purchased Bt. Cotton planter as on No. of entrepreneurs who Purchased Bt. cotton planter in On our persuasion, farmers purchased Bt. cotton planter. The year wise Bt. Cotton planter purchased by the entrepreneurs is given in Fig. 17. It is evident from the results that the demand of machine is increasing because it provides an additional source of income generation to farmers. In year 2007, 42 farmers were contacted who purchased the machine and all of them were quite satisfied with its performance. The total cumulative numbers of machines purchased by the farmers/entrepreneurs/unemployed youths were more than 7750 as on March, The acceptance /adoption of machine is evident from Fig. 17 that farmers purchased 6913 nos. of Bt. Cotton planter without subsidy. Out of total machines purchased i.e. 7750, only 837 nos. of cotton planters were purchased on subsidy. It clearly shows the popularity of cotton planter. 21

22 No. of Bt. Cotton Planter 2500 Total No. of Bt. Cotton Planters as on = 7750 Machines without subsidy = 6913 Machines with subsidy = Year Fig. 17: No. of enterpreneurs of Bt. Cotton Planter Farmers feedback Bt. cotton planter saves costly inputs like seed, time, labour and money. Better quality of work in lesser time as compared to traditional practice. Placement of seed and fertilizer at proper depth and spacing. The slit opened by the furrow opener is narrow thus moisture remained conserved for longer period to have better germination even at high temperature (45 to 480C) List of Bt. Cotton manufacturers Refer Appendix A { Sl.No. 21, 34, 50, 65, 72, 76, 86, 88, 90, 93} 22

23 POTATO PLANTER Potato is an important cash crop of Northern part of Haryana State and is cultivated in about ten thousands hectares which is about one sixth of the total area under fruits and vegetables cultivation in Haryana. The planting of potato is labour intensive and full of fatigue and time consuming operation. Its mechanization can reduce the input costs, increase work efficiency, augment cropping intensity and hence the farmer s benefit. With this in-view, farmers were motivated to purchase own automatic/ semiautomatic potato planter for self use and on custom hiring to supplement their income. The purpose was to hold demonstrations, motivate farmers to adopt it and to collect the feedback information. Brief summary of work done: During the year 2002, four front line demonstrations on tractor drawn automatic potato planter covering an area of 6.2 hectares were organized at farmers fields of Bhatla & Hansi (Hisar). The crop yields ranged between q/ha (Avg. yield of q/ha). During 2003, more number of farmers used this machine and covered an area of 49.4 hectares. Front line demonstration on Automatic/ semiautomatic potato planter were given at farmer s fields in the months of September & October 2004 & 2005 covering an area of 156 ha and 195 ha respectively. The field capacity of machine was observed to be 0.4ha/h while the field efficiency was 70-80%. Saving in labour was found to be 60-70% over control. The increase in yield over control was 10-15%. The farmers and rural youth having entrepreneurship bent of mind were motivated to buy Automatic/ semiautomatic potato planter and adopt custom hiring as a business. On our persuasions, 16 farmers purchased semiautomatic potato planter in 2007 and 19 in The area sown by them on custom hiring was 705 ha in 2007 and 905 ha in It clearly shows that these farmers have adopted potato planter for their own use and for custom hiring. The rate of custom hiring charged on an average was Rs.1250/ ha. The net benefit was Rs. 10,000 per year with one machine and the benefit cost ratio was The pay back period of semiautomatic potato planter was three year. The sale trend of potato planter in Haryana is very encouraging. The no of potato planter purchased by the farmers till date is graphically represented in Fig. 18. The performance of semi-automatic potato planter is given in Table 10. The economics of tractor operated semi automatic potato planter is given in Table 11. The Utility and efficacy of potato planter in comparison to conventional method is given in Table 12. The field operation of machine and crop sown by potato planter is given in Fig. 19 &

24 250 Total No. of potato planters as on = No. of potato planters Fig. 18: No. of entrepreneurs of potato planter Table 10: Performance of automatic potato planter Operating speed, km/h Field capacity, ha/h` Field efficiency,% Fuel consumption, (l/h) Benefits over traditional method a) Saving in labour% b) Increase in yields over control(%) c) Cost of machine (Rs.) Semiautomatic Automatic ,000 45,000 24

25 Table 11: Economics of Tractor operated automatic potato planter Power source Cost of operation of machine ( Rs./ ha) Cost of operation with manual method (Rs./ ha) Custom hiring rate (Rs./ha) Saving, (Rs./ ha) Labour requirements with manual method ( man- days per acre ) Labour requirements with machine ( man -days per ha ) Increase in yield (%) Cost of machine (Rs.) Command area of one machine in one year (ha) Net benefit (@ Rs. 500/ ha) in one year with one machine in Rs. Pay back period (years) Benefit cost ratio 35 hp tractor , ,000 Three 1.6 Table 12: Utility and efficacy of potato planter in comparison to conventional method i Extent of achieving timeliness of operation and Output capacity quite high, results in contribution of the equipment in enhancing timeliness in planting of potato crop productivity through timeliness of operation ii Improvement in quality of work Very Good iii Reduction in drudgery To a great extent iv Improvement in safety Safe v Cost effectiveness Economical vi Suitability of the equipment to the region from following aspects a) Crops grown Potato planting b) Problems existing in conventional practice Shortage of labour & more time consuming c) Socioeconomic factors Labour scarcity in the region Costly manual labour & scarce Hiring charges Rs. 1250/- per ha Initial cost of the machine Rs. 30,000 to 40,000 Operational skills required Skilled operator needed Repair & maintenance facility Available at district head quarter Farmers feed back: Farmers preferred to buy semiautomatic potato planter because of affordable cost and are quite satisfied regarding placement of potato seed by this machine. In automatic potato planter more seed rate is required and 2-3 % of loss of potato seed has been reported 25

26 Fig. 19: A view of potato planter in operation Fig. 20: A view of crop sown by potato planter List of potato planter manufacturers Refer Appendix A { Sl.No. 19,27, 31, 44, 46} 26

27 SELF PROPELLED REAPER BINDER Wheat is a major crop of India. The total wheat production during was million tons with an average of q/ha. Haryana is the third largest producer of wheat with a total production of 10.1 million tons which is 13.27% of total wheat production of India and ranks first in productivity with an average of q/ha. Harvesting of crops is one of the important agricultural operations which demands considerable amount of labour. Traditionally, harvesting of crop is done manually using sickles which involves 18 man days/ha to 25 man days/ha. The availability and cost of labour during harvesting season are the serious problems. It is estimated that harvesting and threshing of crops consume about one third of the total requirement of the production system. Timely harvest of the crop is vital to achieve better quality and higher yield of the crop. The shortage of labour during harvesting season and vagaries of the weather cause greater loss to the farmer. It is therefore, essential to adopt the mechanical methods so that the timeliness in harvesting operation could be ensured and field losses are minimized to increase the productivity and production in the farm. Fig. 21: Four wheeled self propelled reaper binder in operation To minimize the time and energy involved, harvesting machines based on vertical conveying systems and powered by tractor, power tiller and small engines were developed. Tractor operated machines are being used by the farmers, but a high cost power source is involved with the machine. Power tillers are popular in selected regions, particularly in some of the paddy growing areas and hilly regions and hence the use of power tiller operated machine is limited. Self propelled walk behind type reapers are also available. A riding type self propelled reaper, powered by low horse power diesel engine, has been found to increase the working efficiency and eliminate human drudgery involved in walking behind the machine. The reaper is suitable for harvesting wheat, paddy, soybean, barley and similar crops. It is estimated that more than 70% area under wheat is combine harvested and it is increasingly continuously due to shortage of farm labour in the state. Combine harvesting leaves behind enormous quantity of straw which was either burnt in the field or requires a lot of energy in straw management but with the introduction of reaper binder the problem of straw is removed and farmer can get better quality of wheat straw. 27

28 Constructional Features of the Reaper binder The riding type self propelled vertical conveyor reaper windrower is powered by a 9 kw, single cylinder, water cooled diesel engine having rated engine speed of 3000 rpm. It is provided with four pneumatic wheels; two driving wheels in the front having agricultural tread pattern tyres and two steering wheels at the rear having automotive type tyres. Other systems include clutch, brakes, steering, hydraulics, and power transmission and a operator s seat is available to make the machine riding type. The harvesting system include crop row dividers, star wheels, standard cutter bar having 76.2 mm pitch of knife section, vertical conveyor belts and wire springs. The effective cutter bar width is 1.2 m. The crop row dividers enter the standing crop and the star wheels guide the crop towards the cutter bar and help in slightly lifting the crop after it is cut, and in turning it at right angle, prior to its conveying by the lugged conveyor belt. The two lugged flat belts convey the cut crop towards the right side of the machine, keeping the crop in vertical orientation. At the end, the crop is discharged and laid on the ground in the form of windrow. The broad specifications of the machine are given in Table 13 and cost economics of reaper binder is given in Table 14. A view of four wheeled self propelled reaper binder in operation is given in Fig. 21. Table 13: Specifications of reaper binder Function Harvesting and binding of grain crops in single operation. Crops Wheat, Paddy, Oats, Barley and other grain crops of height from 85 to 110 cm. Engine Diesel 9KW Clutch Monodisc, dry Gearbox 4 forward speeds 1 reverse speed Speeds, Km/h 1st/5.4 2nd/7.4 3rd/10 4th/14.2 Rev:6.1 Pneumatic wheels 4, ,00-14 optional Cutter bar, m Fuel Consumption, l/h 1 Height of Cut, cm 5 to7 Rope Requirement 1 Spool/acre Weight with diesel engine, cutter bar and 296 Kg. work/travel car Weight with diesel engine, work/travel 450 Kg. car and binding implement Field Capacity, ha/hr

29 Table 14: Cost economics of self propelled reaper binder Field capacity, ha/h 0.4 ha/h No. of persons required Two Labour requirement, man-h/ha 5 Saving in labour as compared to conventional, man-h 155 Cost of harvesting and binding, Rs./ha 1250 Custom hiring rate, Rs./ha 2500 Saving in cost of operation as compared to conventional, 2725 Rs./ha Benefit Cost ratio 2.0 Pay back period Five years (if area covered is 40 ha) The height of left over stubbles, cm 10 to 15 The weight of the bundle, kg 2.5 to Total No. of reaper binders as on = 645 No. of reaper binders Fig. 22: No. of entrepreneurs of reaper binders The adoption level of reaper binder is depicted in Fig. 22. It is clear from the graph that the farmers purchased 643 nos. of reaper binders in three years i.e. from to on 50% subsidy. In , the adoption level was not encouraging as the subsidy given on the machine by the Govt. was very less. The different views of the reaper binder in operation are given in Fig

30 Fig. 23: Different views of four wheel reaper binder in operation List of Manufacturer Refer Appendix A {Sl.No. 13} 30

31 HIGH CAPACITY POWER THRESHER Mechanical threshing of crops has been adopted in Indian Agriculture in a big way. The power wheat threshers are very common and almost all crops are threshed by the power threshers. Threshing operation is 100% mechanized in wheat crop where as in other crops it needs to be perfected. The losses in pulses and oil seed crops with mechanical threshing are quite high. Threshing of other crops have specific requirements. Threshing machines have to be adjusted so that the damage and losses to the grains are minimized, sometimes concave units needs to be changed. Farmers need to be educated about proper adjustments and operation of threshing machines. Hence, demonstrations of machine and educating the farmers about the use of high capacity multicrop power thresher in crops like pearl millet, oilseeds, pulses, Guar were given more attention. Brief summary of past work done The work on multicrop thresher was started in when feasibility trials on syndicator type high capacity thresher in Raya and wheat crops were conducted. In the year , feasibility trials were further conducted in Raya crop with proper adjustments of cylinder speed, cylinder-concave clearance etc. It was concluded that the machine has good potential for its use in Raya in addition to threshing of wheat crop. The machine was again evaluated in the year for chickpea. Front line demonstrations of high capacity thresher were carried out in wheat, raya, chickpea, green gram, etc. The grain output capacity was q/h in wheat, 8-10 q/h in raya, 6-8 q/h in chickpea and 4-5 q/h in green gram. Threshing efficiency, un-threshed grain and visible damage were recorded to be %, 2.0% and 1.0% respectively in pulse crops. The average total losses were 5.01%. During the year 2002, Frontline demonstrations on multicrop thresher were conducted under pearl millet (bajra), green gram (moong) and cluster bean (guar) crops. Observations on crop input, persons employed, and time taken in threshing and power sources were recorded. High capacity multicrop thresher was demonstrated at different locations in moong & guar crops in the year The machine was operated at the lowest cylinder speed (300 rpm) in moong to minimize the breakage while in guar, it was operated at 500rpm. In moong crop, two cutting blades (out of four) were removed to reduce the damage. The average capacity of thresher was 4.0 and 5.0 q/h in moong and guar crops respectively. The breakage was observed to be less than 5.0 % in moong while in guar, it was 0.5% to 2.0%. Threshing efficiency and cleaning efficiency were observed to be with in the prescribed limit. Success of high capacity multicrop thresher on custom hiring The farmers and rural youth having entrepreneurship bent of mind were motivated to buy high capacity multicrop thresher and adopt custom hiring business. The farmers having land from 1.0 ha to 10 ha were pursued to buy their own thresher and do custom hiring business. All these farmers purchased their own thresher and have adopted it as an enterprise for custom hiring. An average area threshed on custom hiring was 137 ha and 327 ha under raya and wheat crop respectively in year A sample survey conducted on those farmers who purchased threshers in Rabi-2005 revealed that the area threshed under different crops by them was 152 ha, 182 ha and 40 ha (in their own farm) and 431 ha, 780 ha and 600 ha (on custom hiring) under raya, wheat and chickpea crops respectively. 31

32 Status and adoption level of high capacity thresher on Custom Hiring: The farmers and unemployed youths were motivated to use this machine on custom hiring basis as an entrepreneur. There was wide spread response in its adoption. About 31,500 entrepreneurs are engaged in business of threshing crops with high capacity threshers as on Interestingly, small and medium farmers have adopted it as an enterprise for custom hiring. The number of High capacity multicrop thresher procured by the farmers in Haryana is presented in Fig No. of high capacity power threshers as on = 31, No. of threshers Fig. 24: No. of entrepreneurs of high capacity power thresher Large scale demonstrations were also undertaken during the year 2004 to 2006 with tractor operated high capacity multicrop threshesr in different districts of Haryana. Front line demonstrations of tractor operated high capacity multicrop thresher were organized at farmer s fields in different villages covering an area of thousands of hectares. The economics of high capacity multicrop thresher on custom hiring is given in Table 15. The net saving per year is estimated to be Rs. 1,33,500/- and the pay back period of machine is one to three years depending upon the make and model. The capacity of machine varies from crop to crop, makes and models. The price of machine varies from Rs.1,00,000 to 3,25,000 depending upon make and model. The power thresher is a good source for generating income for unemployed rural youth and farmers. The specifications of tractor drawn high capacity power thresher are given in Table 16. The operation of threshers in different crops is given in Fig. 25 to

33 Table 15: Economics of High capacity multicrop thresher (Harambha) on custom hiring Crops Rate of custom Hiring (Rs./ha) Area covered (ha) Wheat 1500 Raya 1500 Gram 1500 Moong 1500 Arhar 1500 Urd 1500 Guar 1000 Bajra 1000 Total Total hrs used: 740 (Field capacity = 0.4 ha/hr) Expenditure: Rs.350/hr Total expenditure: 740 x 350= 2,59,000 Net profit per year = Rs. 1,33,500 Pay back period= One year to three year Total income (Rs) 75,000 45,000 45,000 75,000 15,000 37,500 50,000 50,000 3,92,500 Table 16: Specifications of tractor drawn high capacity power thresher (Harambha) S. No. 1 2 Particulars Type Crops for which suitable 3 Over all dimensions, mm: Length Width Height Ground clearance from ground, mm Type of cylinder Diameter of cylinder, mm Length of cylinder, mm Number of rows of beater Number of beaters per row Size of beaters( spike), mm Recommended speed of threshing cylinder, rpm Type of concave concave grate openings for different crops ( three different sizes) Concave clearance, mm Number of Aspirators Speed of Aspirators ( rpm) Feeding unit 17 Height of feeding chute from Ground, mm Specifications Tractor drawn high capacity Hadamba thresher Wheat, Gram, Mustard, Greengram, Urad, Guar, Lentil etc Combination of chaff cutter and spike tooth type in three rows and 6 in three rows length=150 and dia= Grate of parallel rectangular bars Small grains like mustard& bajra Medium grains like wheat, guar, moong, urd, lentil,etc Bold grains like Gram( Kabli), soybean, 5-20 ( Adjustable) Two Manual. Feeding unit having a conveyor, wooden platform of size 1500x2000x25mm

34 Length of feeding chute, mm Width of feeding chute, mm Number of cutters Type of sieve Number of sieves Transportation system 24 Power transmission 25 Accessories 26 Output capacity (q/hr) Wheat Raya Gram, Moong, arhar, Urd Guar Bajra Three perforated with round holes of thickness 10g For crops mentioned above Two pneumatic wheels new one of standard make( MRF, Dunlop, Applo, JK), mounted on square axle of size 2*2 inch fitted with rim ( new one) standard make bearing new one, Tyre size of 10 ply rating B-size, V grooved pulleys to get different speed as mentioned above Two set of cutters, set of sieves for different crops, Set of concaves for different crops 15-20q/hr 3-4 q/hr 4-5q/hr 5-6q/hr 6-7q/hr Table 17: Specification of the high capacity front feeding thresher Type of machine 2. Power drive from 3. Power source required 4. Overall dimension (l x b x h) Threshing cylinder 1. Type 2. Diameter 3. Length 4. Width 5. No. of blades Concave 1. Type 2. Pitch width 3. Concave clearance Blowers 1. No. of blower 2. No. of blades per blower 3. Height of blade 4. Width of blade Sieves 1. Dimensions (l x b) 2. Stroke length High capacity front feeding serrated knife type power thresher PTO drive of tractor Above 45 hp tractor 6095 x 1825 x 2130 mm Serrated knife cylinder 800 mm 812 mm 1090 mm 258 Oblong 10 to 15 mm 10 mm mm 165 mm 1330 x 920 mm 1850 mm 34

35 Fig. 25: A view of operation of high capacity multicrop thresher on custom hiring in wheat crop at farmer s fields Fig. 26: The farmers are threshing greengram crop with Hadamba thresher on custom hiring Fig. 27: The farmers are threshing green gram crop with high capacity front feeding thresher on custom hiring 35

36 Performance of high capacity front feeding thresher In the green gram, the performance was satisfactory at moisture content of 13.5%. The threshing efficiency, cleaning efficiency and output capacity increased from 88.6%, 94.9% and kg/hr to 92.7%, 96.27% and kg/hr when the cylinder speed was increased from 403 to 435 rpm respectively. The grain loss also increased from 1.1 to 2.8% (Table 18). In cluster gram, the performance was satisfactory at a moisture content of 10.2%. The threshing efficiency, cleaning efficiency and output capacity increased from 96.3%, 95% and kg/hr to 97%, 99% and kg/ha, when the cylinder speed was increased from 504 to 535 rpm respectively. The grain loss was within the prescribed limits (Table 19). In brown mustard crop, the performance was satisfactory at moisture content of 16.5%. The threshing efficiency, cleaning efficiency and output capacity increased from 97.5%, 96.2% and 570 kg/hr to 98%, 96.8% and 580 kg/ha, when the cylinder speed was increased from 540 to 600 rpm respectively. The grain loss was within the prescribed limits (Table 20). Table 18: Performance data of high capacity front feeding thresher in green gram Moisture content (%) Cylinder speed (rpm) Cleaning efficiency (%) Threshing efficiency (%) Sieve loss (%) Damaged grain (%) Unthreshed grain (%) Blower loss (%) Total loss (%) Output capacity (kg/hr) Table 19: Performance data of high capacity front feeding thresher in cluster bean Moisture content (%) Cylinder speed (rpm) Cleaning efficiency (%) Threshing efficiency (%) Sieve loss (%) Damaged grain (%) Unthreshed grain (%) Blower loss (%) Total loss (%) Output capacity (kg/hr) Table 20: Performance data of high capacity front feeding thresher in brown mustard Moisture content (%) Cylinder speed (rpm) Cleaning efficiency (%) Threshing efficiency (%) Sieve loss (%) List of power thresher manufacturers Damaged grain (%) Unthreshed grain (%) Blower loss (%) Total loss (%) Output capacity (kg/hr) Refer Appendix A {Sl.No. 3, 5, 9, 10, 16, 18, 19, 35, 36, 42, 45, 46, 48, 51, 52, 56, 57, 61, 67, 71, 73, 77, 78, 91, 94, 95} 36

37 STRAW COMBINE In Agriculture, Haryana is the most advanced state which has highest intensity of farm mechanization after Punjab. Haryana is the third largest producer of wheat with a total production of 10.1 million tonnes which is 13.27% of total wheat production of India and ranks first in productivity with an average of q/ha. About 50% area of wheat is harvested by combines. Combine harvesting results in saving of time and labour but results in loss of straw (bhusa). This causes wastage of around 5 million tonnes of straw worth Rs crores annually in Haryana alone. Combine harvesting leaves considerable amount of long straw and stubbles in the field at an average straw grain ratio of 1.3:1 for wheat. Farmers usually burn them insitu to avoid field operational problems for next crop. It has been estimated that one tonne of straw on burning release 3 kg particulate matter, 60 kg CO, 1460 kg CO2, 199 kg ash and 2 kg SO2. In majority of cases, the left over straw is burnt. This practice not only leads to environmental pollution but also causes a considerable economic loss of precious biomass widely used as a cattle feed. Therefore, a need was felt to evaluate its economics and adoption level among farmers. This problem can be solved either by incorporation of straw into the soil for decomposition or straw retrieval for use as a cattle feed. The retrieval of straw from combine harvested ricewheat fields is done either by straw combine or straw baler. In Haryana straw combines were introduced in late 90 s and now about straw combines are in use. In Haryana, among the area harvested by combine, only 60% area is covered by straw combines. There is a need to cover 40% area left unattended by straw combines. With this, the farmers as well as state will be benefited. Salient features of Straw combine A straw combine essentially consists of four main units viz., stubble cutting and collecting unit, feeding unit, straw bruising unit and "BHUSA" blowing unit. Two different types of straw bruising mechanisms have been commonly used in the existing models of straw combines. These include a spike tooth cylinder and serrated saw type mechanisms. Serrated saw type cylinder are mostly used in the straw combines for bruising. Serrated plates are attached on the bars at specific spacing and the bars arranged parallel to drum axis. Straw combine is pulled by tractor (45 hp) with an attached trolley. As soon as this trolley is completely filled with straw, it is unloaded near the dumping site normally located centrally or in the corner of the field. The specifications of straw combine are given in Table

38 Table 21: Specification of straw combine S. No Particulars Value(s) Source of power 45 hp tractor operated PTO driven Overall dimension (LxWxH) with out straw pipe, 3370 x 2450 x 2150 mm Length of cutter bar, mm 2134 Minimum height of cut, mm Size of threshing drum (L x D), mm 1370 x 700 Speed of threshing drum, rpm 530 Size of blower (dia.), mm 280 Speed of blower, rpm 1020 Field capacity, ha/h Straw output, t/ha Weight, kg 1785 Unit price, Rs 1,70,000 PERFORMANCE OF STRAW COMBINE: The test results of straw combine are reported in Table 22. The straw split per cent varied from 89.3 to 95.2 and average straw split was whereas the length of bhusa varied from 2.1 to 2.4 cm and average length of bhusa was 2.3 cm. The average heights of cut of stubbles varied from 6.04 to 9.8 cm. The straw recovery varied from 62.7 to 81.0 per cent and average straw recovery was 70.7 per cent. The straw recovery mainly depends upon the stubbles height remaining in the field after harvesting by combine harvester. Straw recovery rate varied from 23.5 to 31.8 q/ha and average straw recovery rate was 28.2 q/ha. The grain recovery varied from 42.6 to 50.0 per cent and average grain recovery was 45.9 per cent. The grain collected in pan ranged from kg/ha and average grain collection was 141 kg/ha. The straw recovery was 70-80%. Table 22: Performance of straw combines No. of starw combi ne tested. Av. Weight of straw before straw Reaping (g/m2 ) Av. Wt. of straw left after straw Reaping (g/m2 ) Av. Wt. of straw collected by machine (g/m2 ) Straw recovery (q/ha) Straw recovery (%) Straw split (%) Wt. of grain before reaping (g/m2 ) Wt. of Grain left After Reaping g/m2 Av. Wt. of grain collected (g/m2 ) Grain Recov ery, (%) Av (147) 14.9 (149) 14.1 (141) 18.0 (180) 13.7 (137) 14.1 (141)

39 The machine performance is given in Table 23. The effective field capacity of the combine harvester varied from 0.45 to 0.54 ha/h and average rate of work was 0.48 ha/h at a forward speed of 3.5 km/h with effective cutter bar width of 2.02 m. The efficiency of the straw combine was found to be 70 %. Average fuel consumption was 4.97 l/h or 9.74 l/ha. Average straw split was %, whereas average length of bhusa was 23 mm at moisture content of 8.5 % wet basis. The average height of cut was 52 mm. The economics of straw combine on custom hiring is given in Table 24. The cost of operation was Rs. 800/ha. An entrepreneur can save on an average Rs on custom hiring when area covered by one entrepreneur was 88 ha. The average rate of custom hiring was Rs. 1500/ha and there was net saving of Rs.700/ha. The pay back period of machine is three year. The cost of machine was Rs 1,70,000. The benefit cost ratio was 1.88 on custom hiring and for own use it is 6.25 Table 23: Performance result of straw combine in wheat crop S. No Parameters Average forward speed, Km/h Effective width of cutter bar, mm Theoretical field capacity, ha/h Actual field capacity, ha/h Field efficiency, % Average height of cut, mm Average length of cut straw, mm Average straw split, % Moisture content of the straw, % w.b. Fuel consumed, l/h Fuel consumed, l/ha. Av. Field capacity (ha/h) Labour required per ha to persons 39

40 Table 24: Economics of straw combine on custom hiring Total No. of entrepreneur who purchased as on : Cost of operation (Rs./ha) Average grain recovery ( kg/ha) Average Bhusa recovery (q/ha) Average expenditure Rs. per trolley Out put Average rate of custom hiring (Rs./ha) Av. work done on hiring by one farmer (ha) Saving in cost of operation, Rs/ha Saving by Bhusa recovery, Rs/ha Saving by Grain recovery, Rs/ha Net saving ( Rs./year) Cost of machine (Rs.) Pay back period Benefit Cost ratio Own use Custom hiring 1500 or Rs. 600 per trolley ,70,000 Three years trolleys per day (1000 kg / trolley or 4 ha/day) Status and adoption of straw combine Average grain recovery was 80kg/ha and bhusa recovery was 25q/ha. This machine has been widely accepted by the farmers of Haryana. No specific problem was observed in handling during operation of straw combine in wheat straw field. One skilled operator was required to operate the tractor and straw combine simultaneously. One labour was also required for unloading the trolley at suitable place. The total estimated area covered by straw combine is about 6.0 lakh hectares. The estimated number of straw combines in Haryana is about 10,731. The adoption of straw combine is graphically represented in Fig. 28. A view of straw combine in operation is given in Fig

41 2500 Total No. of straw reapers in Haryana as on = 10, No. of straw reapers Fig. 28: No. of entrepreneurs of straw combine Fig. 29. View of straw combine in operation at farmers fields Farmers feed back Use of tractors per year has been increased Saving of time, money and labour Bhusa can be obtained as bi product Less fatigue than manual threshing of wheat Machine repay its cost with in three years Small farmers welcome the work to be get done by custom hiring 41

42 Straw recovery is 65 to 70 per cent with good quality. The straw split was 92.36% and length of bhusa was 2.3 cm. There was an additional grain recovery of 80 kg/ha. The cost of grain recovered is almost equal to the amount paid for hiring the machine. Straw combine is very economical and now a days, it is used extensively by the farmers as the cost of bhusa has risen and usage of combine has increased. The operation can be accomplished in lesser time and crop can be saved from natural hazards. It helps to save environmental hazards. List of straw combine manufacturers Refer Appendix A {Sl.No. 3, 5, 10, 15, 17, 19, 20, 25, 29, 31, 32, 36, 39, 40, 41, 45, 47, 54, 55, 57, 61, 62, 66, 71, 79, 80, 91, 92, 95} 42

43 POTATO DIGGER Potato is an important cash crop of northern part of Haryana State and is cultivated in about ten thousands hectares which is about one sixth of the total area under fruits and vegetables cultivation in Haryana. Potato digging is labour intensive and full of fatigue and time consuming operation and its mechanization can reduce the input costs, increase work efficiency, augment cropping intensity and hence the farmer s benefits. With this in view, farmers were motivated to purchase their own tractor drawn potato digger for their own use as well as on custom hiring as a business. A view of potato digger is given in Fig. 30 and the potato digger in operation is given in Fig. 31. Brief summary of past work Front line demonstration on tractor drawn Potato Digger cum Elevator was given at farmer s fields in the months of March & April during 2004 and 2005 covering an area of 9.6 ha & 48 ha respectively. There was 2-3% loss of potato i.e. cut and remain buried in the soil with the use of Potato Digger cum Elevator. The yield levels were q/ha. The field capacity of machine was observed to be 0.2 ha/h while the field efficiency was 60-70%. About labourers are required to pick up the potato simultaneously. The machine is operated leaving one row in between so that potatoes can be picked by labourers. The farmers/rural youth are using tractor drawn Potato Digger cum Elevator on custom hiring besides using it for their own fields. Farmers and unemployed youth were motivated to use this machine on custom hiring basis as an entrepreneur. There has been wide spread response in its adoption particularly in potato grown area. The farmers purchased their own tractor drawn Potato Digger cum Elevator. The custom hiring charges with conventional method was Rs.2400 to 3000 /- per ha for digging, picking and bagging. (Rs.12 per bag of 80 kg each and the output was bags per hectare or q/ha). The rate custom hiring with the potato digger was Rs per ha. and the average saving was Rs.750 per hectare. The pay back period of machine is one year when farmer covers an area of about 30 hectare. The cost of machine was Rs /-. A Skilled operator is needed to operate the machine. The no. of potato digger purchased by the farmers of Haryana is tabulated in Table 25 Table 25: Adoption level of potato digger in Haryana Years No. of potato digger purchased Total 223 Source: Office of Joint Director (Agriculture Engineering), Panchkula, Haryana 43

44 Table 26: Performance and cost economics of potato digger Performance Field Capacity, ha/hr Field efficiency, % Potato exposed Labour required to pick up potato simultaneously Economics Cost of machine, Rs. Cost of operation, Rs./ha Custom hiring rate, Rs./ha Benefit, Rs./ha Command area of one machine, ha Benefit over conventional system by one machine in one year, Rs./year Benefit Cost ratio Pay back period, years % 100% 20 persons 25, , , One Table 27: Utility and efficacy of potato Digger in comparison to conventional method i ii iii iv v vi Extent of achieving timeliness of operation and contribution of the equipment in enhancing productivity through timeliness of operation Improvement in quality of work Output capacity quite high, results in timeliness in planting of potato crop Reduction in drudgery To a great extent Improvement in safety Safe Cost effectiveness Economical Very Good Suitability of the equipment to the region from following aspects a) b) c) vii Crops grown Potato planting Problems existing in conventional practice Shortage of labour & more time consuming Socioeconomic factors Labour scarcity in the region Costly manual labour & scarce Hiring charges Conventional Rs.3000 to 3500 /- per ha for digging, picking and bagging. (Rs.12 per bag of 80 kg each. Output is bags per ha. or q/ha) Hiring charges of Potato digger Rs. 1500/- per ha Initial cost of the machine Rs /- Operational skills required Skilled operator needed Repair & maintenance facility Future action suggested Available at district head quarter It is a commercial machine. Farmers may be pursued to adopt this machine on custom hiring as an enterprise for enhancing their income Feedback from Farmers: Machine is simple and quite easy to operate Higher output capacity Saves considerable manual labour 44

45 Fig. 30: Tractor drawn two rows potato digger-elevator Fig. 31: Tractor drawn two rows potato digger-elevator in operation List of potato digger manufacturers Refer Appendix A {Sl.No. 27, 31, 44, 46} 45

46 POST HOLE DIGGER Under the liberalized global marked regime, the horticultural exports have a good potential in our country. The need of hour is to bring more area under orchards and raise productivity and profitability of horticultural crops. It is quite essential to promote the use of proper horticultural implements like post hole digger (Fig.32) Fig. 32: A view of post hole digger in operation at farmer s fields The front line demonstrations of tractor drawn post hole digger was taken up during the year 2002 & 2003 in Fatehabad and Hisar districts and 1360 and 1383 holes were dug at farmer s fields respectively. There were some operational problems in the machine. Necessary modifications in the cutting portion of the auger were carried out pits of size 3 feet deep and 1.5feet wide were dug for planting of Jatropha, Aonla, Jamun & Agro-forestry plants in year 2004 and 6500 pits were dug in year 2005 for planting of Jatropha, Aonla, Jamun & Agro-forestry plants in village Shahbad (Kurukshetra), Agroha (Hisar), Daulatpur (Hisar), Baheri (Hisar) and Dobi (Hisar). During the year , 4845 pits were dug at farmer s fields in village Sandol, Kalawash, Dobi, Daulatpur, Dhingtana of distrct Hisar for horticultural plantation with the post hole digger. During the year , the front line demonstrations of tractor drawn post hole digger was taken up and pits were dug at farmer s fields in village Kuleri, Kalawash, Dobi, Aryan agar, Siswala, Kaharia, Dhingtana, Nangthala, Balsmand, Agroha, Mirzapur, Mayar of distrct Hisar and Khabra of district Fatheabad for horticultural plantation with the post hole digger. There is a big demand of post hole digger and have good scope for its adoption in Haryana on custom hiring. Its field capacity was 0.2 ha/hr ( pits per hectare). The cost of machine is Rs. 60,000. Its pay back back period is one year, if a farmer dug pits in an area of 20 ha The Machine is simple quite easy to operate and has very high output capacity besides timeliness planting and considerable saving of manual labour, time and money. Its cost of operation was Rs per ha. There is net saving of Rs per ha and a farmer can save Rs. 50,000 with one machine in one year. The benefit cost ratio is 3 (Table 28). The farmers and unemployed youth were motivated to buy post 46