Farm Power and Machinery

1. Name: Avin Kharel
Roll No: 15
“CASESTUDYFORTHE SPECIFICFARM OPERATION(INTERCULTURAL
OPERATION)OFA PARTICULARCROP(RICE)ATHILLSTO COMPARETHECOST
OF EXISTINGSOURCEOFFARMPOWERWITHMECHANIZEDIMPLEMENTS”
Farm Power and Machinery AEN 221, (2+1)

2. Question;
Carry out a case study for the specific farm operation of a particular crop to compare the cost of
existing source of farm power with mechanized implements. Make description of existing
machine/tools and their source of power and also the potential machines.
TITLE: “CASE STUDY FOR THE SPECIFICFARM OPERATION (INTERCULTURAL OPERATION) OF A
PARTICULARCROP (RICE) AT HILLS TO COMPARE THE COSTOF EXISTING SOURCEOF FARM
POWERWITH MECHANIZED IMPLEMENTS”
Location of case study: Dailekh,Nepal
Introduction: All the lighter and finer operations carried out on the soil, between sowing and harvesting
are termed as intercultural operations. It includes weeding, fertilizer application, mulching etc. Thus, the
machineries and implements used for this purpose are called as intercultural implements/equipment.
Some examples of intercultural implements are hand hoe, paddy weeder, wheel hoe, rigid tynes
cultivator, Spring loaded tynes cultivator etc.
Description: During the case study in Dailekh district of Nepal, the existing machine/tools used in the
rice field for intercultural operation is found as human power i.e. manually. As Dailekh is located in hilly
area, most of the land are found to be terraces and uneven. Different intercultural operation like
weeding, fertilizer application etc. are done manually since a long years in rice field. Fertilizer application

3. is done by broadcasting method. Weeding in the rice field is done manually in such terraces and uneven
land. The family members or people hired for weeding purpose works in the field and hired human
manpower is paid with money. It takes a long time with high human power to accomplish the weeding
task in the rice field. Labors are easily available and the work is efficient in small land with small
operation.
The potential machine/tools used in the place of manual weeding in the rice field could be paddy
weeder and power weeder.
A power weeder is mainly used in the lowland rice field. It is suitable for doing timely weeding operation
under all soil conditions in line sown and SRI paddy. It is a self-propelled, compact and light weight
power weeder. It weighs 17 Kg and consists of 1.30 KW engine, float and rotary cutting blades. There
Power Weeder

4. are four high speed rotating blades (300rpm) on either side, which weed two rows at a time. The
weeding width is 150mm. Due to compactness and less weight, it is easily maneuverable between the
crop rows at speed. The row spacing is 236 mm and hill spacing is 168 mm. The field capacity of the
power weeder is 0.70 ha/day and is about 4 times higher than conoweeder. The average fuel
consumption is 0.4L/ha. It weeds 1.5 kattha (500 sq.m) in 1 hour.
The paddy weeder is also used to remove weeds between rows of paddy crops. The weeder consists of
two rotors, float frame and handle. The rotors are cone frustum in shape, smooth and serrated strips
are welded on the surface along its length. The rotors are mounted in tandem with opposite orientation.

5. The orientation of rotors creates a back and forth movement in the top 30mm in the soil. The float,
rotors and handle are jointed to the frame. The float controls working depth and does not allow rotors
assembly to sink in the puddle. The push-pull operation of paddy weeder between rows makes weeding
effective.
Due to uneven land topography and terrain, cost of operation, purchasing cost and ease of operation,
the paddy weeder is considered to be more effective and potential one in Dailekh district as compared
to the power weeder in the place of human power i.e. manual weeding.
Comparing the cost of existing source of farm power with mechanized implements i.e.
HUMAN POWER (MANUAL WEEDING) VS MECHANICAL POWER(PADDY WEEDER)
As Dailekh district is located in hilly area, the ropani unit is used in case of area of the land and we
compare the cost of existing source of farm power with mechanized implements in ropani.
COST OF MANUAL WEEDING
Cost for manual weeding per day =Rs.500
The working hours for manual labor = 8 hours (500÷8=Rs.62.5 per hours)
About 4 labors is required for manual weeding in 1 day to accomplish the weeding task of about 6
ropani if the weed infestation is moderate.
Therefore, the total cost of 4 labors for manual weeding of 6 ropani land = 500∗4 = Rs.2000

6. Cost of mechanical weeding by paddy weeder.
Purchasing cost= Rs.2000 (India) i.e. about Rs.4000 in Nepal
If the paddy weeder is purchased, then the human manpower to use the paddy weeder for weeding in
6 ropani =2 workers
So, the cost of a human manpower only if we purchase our own paddy weeder = 2×500 = Rs.1000
If the paddy weeder is hired along with human manpower for weeding of 6 ropani land, the cost of both
the paddy weeder (implements) and workers get added.
Its cost become Rs.1000 (for 2 workers) and about Rs.200 for (paddy weeder rent) =Rs.1200 (TOTAL)
After we purchase the paddy weeder, we can use it for about 6 years (MINIMUM). This type of paddy weeder does not need any source of
fuel and is run by the human power. Also, from the above we can conclude that the efficiency of power weeder is double than that of
manual weeding. We can save about Rs.1000 from our weeding purpose of rice field if we use the mechanical implements i.e. paddy
weeder in case of manual weeding. Also, the purchasing cost i.e. 4000 of the paddy weeder can be recovered about 4 years if we saves
about Rs.1000 by using paddy weeder per year.
CONCLUSION
From the above we conclude that the mechanical weeding by paddy weeder is the potential, cost
effective during the operation and highly efficient as compared to manual weeding by human
manpower. Also, if we purchased the power weeder self in case of hired from the others, it is more

7. efficient and cost of its operation is comparatively less as compared to the hired one with its manpower
(about Rs.200 less) from the above.
So, from this case study, we conclude that the purchasing the paddy weeder is best way for weeding the
rice field of Dailekh district.
THE END