Economical and agricultural study of mechanized versus hand-planting of sugar-cane

Abstract

Hand and mechanized sugar-cane planting were compared to evaluate time and cost involved in this operation. An area of 6,400 m² was mechanically planted in 119.42 hours at a cost of Cr$ 371,99 requiring one operator whereas one man hand planting consumed 112.55 hours at a cost of Cr$ 342,06 for the same area. The statistical analysis of the data indicated no significant difference in relation to cost between the two procedures. The performance of mechanized planting was however of a better quality. A highly significant difference was found in favor of the sugar-cane planter in relation to cost and time of operation when equivalent operations required for planting sugar-cane were compared.