The cost of cultivations for combinable crops
An evaluation of the cost-effectiveness of different cultivation techniques.
Year of Publication2003
The paper considers the opportunity for economy in the cost of cultivations for combinable crops against the background of the research findings of the past 30 years, changes in farm structure and labour availability, low cash returns, grass weed problems and environmental concerns. The suggested target is a combined labour and machinery cost of £200-£250 per hectare with no reduction in crop yield. This can be achieved with large machines and reduced cultivations on many farms having the advantage of scale and both soil and climatic suitability. The mouldboard plough does, however, remain the universally applicable, reliable, and often economically competitive, primary cultivation tool.
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