Productivity and basic economics in spring paddy production by mechanical rice transplanter versus traditional manual method

This research deals with the application and effectiveness of mechanical rice transplanter over traditional manual methods in paddy-based production system. Animate drudgery and higher input production cost are major challenges in the paddy transplantation process. This study was undertaken in two agricultural cooperatives having research area 95 ha irrigated paddy farmland, with the overall aim to study, analyze, and compare input production cost, yield productivity, and benefit–cost ratio in rice transplantation by two methods: mechanical versus manual. The seed required in both methods was calculated. The manual method consumed 66 kg per ha, whereas this value was 19 kg in the mechanical. Results indicated that input production cost in paddy production by manual and machine methods were USD 719 and 577 respectively. Both plant height and panicle length were found to be significantly higher in the mechanical case, which eventually made the crop productivity higher with a value of 8.26 MT/ha, compared to the manual productivity 7.91 MT/ha. Also, the straw yield in the mechanical method was 4.2% higher. Overall, the benefit–cost ratio of mechanical versus manual was found to be 3.44 and 2.42, respectively. The primary recommendation of this research is extensive application of mechanical methods to reduce drudgery in seedling uprooting/transplanting and overall labor costs, along with timely finishing of transplantation work. In agrarian countries like Nepal, where rice plays a vital role in food security and national GDP, an appropriate provision of mechanization in each agricultural unit operation should be the benchmark for sustainability of paddy production environment.