Mechanization in Plantation Crops

Abstract

Plantation sector crops are high value commercial crops, which include coconut, arecanut, oil palm, cashew and cocoa. These generate considerable employment opportunities to millions of people during on-farm operations and off-farm processing activities. Mechanisation forms an essential component and it has become a necessity to reduce drudgery in farm operations, to achieve precision and timeliness in farming for higher productivity. In the dynamic and fast changing plantation crop scenario of the country, particularly with diversification in the cropping pattern and commercialization, more efficient and simple equipment are required by the farmers. Concerted efforts through suitable policies are required to develop linkages to bridge the gaps in the mechanisation of plantation crops and also help in commercialization of the mechanization equipment. The implementation of farm machinery strategies at micro level would provide the vital linkage between developmental institutions, manufacturers, farmers and executive agencies for enabling the farmers to adopt mechanisation in their plantation farms at affordable cost and thus contribute in improving the productivity. The equipment presently available, requirement and the gap/ availability for various plantation crop with respect to farming operations like pit making, weeding and interculture, basin opening & earthing up, plant protection, harvesting, dehusking/ deshelling and transporting are discussed. The relationship between mechanization scenario in various plantation crops with respect to optimal utilization of the available sources and power availability is highlighted. Issues and strategies in mechanization of plantation crops like human resources, farm machinery extension services, plantation crop machinery hiring service providers are brought out through this chapter.