@article{Prasanna:205950,
      recid = {205950},
      author = {Prasanna, P.H.S.N. and Gunaratne, L.H.P and Withana,  W.D.R.S.},
      title = {Economic Analysis of Paddy Threshing Methods},
      journal = {Sri Lankan Journal of Agricultural Economics},
      address = {2004},
      number = {1381-2016-115718},
      pages = {17},
      year = {2004},
      abstract = {Post-harvest losses of paddy in Sri Lanka are as high as  15 percent of total production. Of this, about 24 percent  of losses occur during the threshing and cleaning stage  with tractor treading being the most common paddy threshing  method. In order to overcome these deficiencies, recently  small and combined threshers have been introduced. This  study attempted to determine the efficiency of different  paddy threshing methods, and to estimate the profitability  of small and combined thresher ownership. The level of  adaptability of mechanical threshing methods (i.e., tractor  treading, small and combined threshers) and the factors  that influence the adoption of paddy threshers were also  investigated. Multi-stage random sampling was adopted to  collect primary data based on a structured questionnaire  from Pollonnaruwa district, one of the major rice growing  areas in the country. Financial analysis was employed to  find the profitability of thresher ownership. An empirical  model was estimated to evaluate the efficiency of  mechanical threshing methods based on the savings of labour  and material. Logit model was fitted to identify the  factors affecting thresher adoption. The study revealed  that on average, small and combined threshers increase the  net income per ha by Rs.6, 345 and Rs.9, 071 respectively,  compared to tractor treading. Combined thresher ownership  was found to be more profitable than small thresher  ownership. The minimum economic operational area for  tractor treading, small thresher and combined thresher were  41.78 ha/yr, 3.47 ha/yr and 20.97 ha/yr, respectively.  Monthly income, wealth, cultivated extent and farming  experiences were significantly related to the adoption of  both small and combined threshers. Since replacing tractor  treading by threshing machines reduces the post-harvest  losses and increases the net income it is recommended that  the availability of both types of threshers to be increased   depending on farmer resource endowment.},
      url = {http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/205950},
      doi = {https://doi.org/10.22004/ag.econ.205950},
}