Combined Harvester - To Buy Or Not To Buy

[euca]

We have 130-rai of rice and there appears plenty of potential with neighbours near and far profitably to operate a combined harvester. Costings certainly look favourable over a three year period (available should you ask). The major problem is, of course, everything in farming is a gamble; everything in Thai farming is gambling squared.

Would certainly appreciate the lights of experienced farmers on this topic. I have only just discovered this forum and enjoy the depth of practical observation and advice very much so please feel free to comment.

[Tilapia]

We have 130-rai of rice and there appears plenty of potential with neighbours near and far profitably to operate a combined harvester. Costings certainly look favourable over a three year period (available should you ask). The major problem is, of course, everything in farming is a gamble; everything in Thai farming is gambling squared.

Would certainly appreciate the lights of experienced farmers on this topic. I have only just discovered this forum and enjoy the depth of practical observation and advice very much so please feel free to comment.

Hi Euca.

I would say it depends on your location, some places you can harvest 3 times per year, and others only one, do you have a trailer to transport the machine, and do you have the sraff to operate it, some of them need 3 to 4 man crew to run. If somethings happens, can you rapair the small stuff yourself or do you need to get the shop to fix it. Remember that harvester is not the same standard as we are used to.

And be prepared to be paid with rice for your service.

Regards

Tilapia.

[mixedbreed]

We also have 120 rai of rice paddy, last year we invested in the smallest unit that Kaset Pattana manufacture out of Phistinluk . (bagging machine) takes 3 to operate it. Operated on our farm only last year and now investing in a transporter so that this year we can venture forth into the realms of contractor. The problem on our farm, is we store our rice onsite and sell sometime during the year, so the speed of the machine is not the limiting factor but rather the drying of the rice before putting into the rice barn. This is going to give us time to do local contracting work. We already have a long list of people requesting it’s services after seeing it in operation last season. (we are in Isaarn so only get 1 crop a year)

We also have a hay baler that we contract out to bale the rice straw. (its used to put up 2000 bales of ruzzi grass and 3000 bales of rice straw for our on use.

Repairs to the machine last year where done quickly, the machine may need fixing daily but almost any village repair man can do them. We are fortunate we have a reasonable repair shop on the farm, rather necessary with all the equipment we have.

Went and looked at the new Kubota PC10 machine and if it had been available last year I would have bought it instead of the unit we have. Price is the same but the design and quality is far superior.

And yes occasionally, you probably will get paid in rice

[slapout]

I see these small combines showing up here in Chiang Mai, in the past 2 years doing contract work and getting repeat business. Have no idea how or how much payment is made. In the Fang area the rice farms are normally 5 to 10 rai so use would be questionable. Having said that the farmers in that area are getting old and cannot hire help as all the young people are heading to the cities. Watching them do rice and garlic reminds me of the garden clubs made up of retirees back home. In fact a lot of them want to sell their land as they are having trouble finding anyone to rent their land when they can not physically do the work anymore. I think it is just a matter of time until we see the small Thai farm go the way of the rest of the world.

[pnustedt]

Last year we bought a Yanmar harvester but it didn't work out - far too slow and poor quality rice with high waste. This year we have ordered a stainless steel harvester from Bang Len (just N of Nakhon Pathom) due for delivery in October. We had a trailer for the Yanmar but not yet for the big new one. Most of our work is contract work and I have had experience driving the combine so am assured that it will work well. Such a machine has also worked in the village for many years (by Nakon Pathom people) but they have said they would not come this year as we are getting a harvester.

I have seen the new Kubota harvester, I suspect that it is from their Chinese joint venture, quality seemed similar to the Yanmar but with a conventional (Thai) gatherer.

We bought the first baler in the area last year (from Siam Balers in Saraburi) and made about 15k-20K bales, this year we anticipate making considerably more than that as many farmers have been surprised how useful the bales have been and we already have a substantial priority list for baling work.

Harvest is once/year in sacks, taken away by the farmers for drying on any available patch of flat dry ground (we loan sacks for taking away to dry)- main concern is that nothing holds up harvesting once the weather allows it. We anticipate enough work within the working area of the machine so don't anticipate buying a low loader this year. We are also anticipating getting another (probably 2nd hand) harvester if things go well.

Your 130 rai of land is about a day's work for the machine we would be getting, so you would have plenty of capacity to contract out. The price for harvesting here (Sisaket) last year was about Bt525/rai, labour is three men on the harvester plus support. Price of the new machine is around Bt2mill. and expect to use over 100 litres of diesel/day. I was inintially concerned about payment and proposed a rice payment service, however, payment is always in cash, although you may need to wait a few days for the rice to be sold.

We have built a substantial storage/repair facility for housing the equipment.

[slapout]

Cost to harvest 1 acre of rice with combine is aabout 1300 baht from these numbers are there other charges to the customer? If you can cut 130 rai per day you are talking 68000 income per day. Not bad return if you have the customers lined up and can stay busy for several weeks per year. This is better than the custom cutters can do in the US with a combine and 2 trucks to haul grain. They can cut 25 +- acre per hour with the big machines there under good conditions. They probably have an investment of 800,000 to 900,000 US and it would require a crew of 4 to keep this going with a additional pickup truck for support.

[slapout]

Sorry about those numbers of 8 to 900000 would be more like 300,000 , guess I need to take a nap.

[pnustedt]

Cost to harvest 1 acre of rice with combine is aabout 1300 baht from these numbers are there other charges to the customer?

We cannot make further charges to the customer for harvesting, however, we do offer further services e.g. transporting rice, baling, ploughing, etc. This keeps us busy for most of the year.

Don't forget to factor in costs (diesel, labour, depreciation of machine, maintenance, storage). In reality we do not have any customers with 130 rai (large customers have half this) and the secret is to keep the machine harvesting rather than dodging all over the area to the next field. Many of the fields are very small, and this can slow you down considerably. Also we are lucky to get 30 days of harvest, the season is quite short. But, yes, money is to be made, better to harvest rice than to grow it!

[euca]

Tks for your replies, gentlemen. I really value all the information you care to offer:

Tilapia, location is Buri Ram, Isaan so it's one crop a year around December. I will certainly need a trailer, have the crew & we feel we can do small daily repairs. I expected to be paid in rice but I am told its strictly cash - usually after the rice is sold.

Mixedbreed, that's most interesting, I'd like to hear a lot more. We are looking at the Kubota DC-60 which seems to have some good points to it - Bt810,000. I don't know the Kubota PC10. The problems I foresee [& those I don't, yet] are those that you will have worked out by now. The baler is interesting, too. I'm also concerned about safety with Thai crew, lao khao & a fairly dangerous machine. Would you please contact, as below, so I can ask you more.

Slapout, yes, your figures tally with what I am given and I think it has a good chance of being a sound venture. I aim to try for as much info as I can get over this next month to make the best decision. I understand you charge Bt530 +/- per rai and that is it for the machine. Haulage would be extra. Farmer & Co do all the other work including breaking the kanaa for you etc and sacking on the machine, so I am told. I'm looking for verifiication of all that, though.

Pnustedt, you have clearly got the weight, here, and I should definitely like to advise with you as to how to get it right. I note you lend sacks & I had thought that might be necessary. Also, I take your point about keeping the machine cutting and not moving it here and there all the time. I would need to move it once as we are in two different locations. Would you please contact, as below to tell me more. I particularly want to find out what the harvesting period is likely to be. Kubota's figures look good but are based on a harvest period of 45 days each year, not 30, which is your experience. Seems like a rather vital point.

My email is [email protected] & I should like to ask you for more information without clogging up the forum so a call would be very much appreciated. .

Edited July 31, 2007 by euca