4. Financial Impact of losses on Economy
Total
Production
(million Tones)
Total Area
(million
hectares)
Area Covered
by Combine
Harvester
(50% of Total)
million Tones
Yield Losses
(@ 15 %)
million Tones
Unit Price
(Rs / Ton)
Total Losses in
billion Rupees
27.293 9.178 13.65 2.046 50000 102.30
Yield Losses (@ 2 %)
million Tones
27.293 9.178 13.65 0.273 50000 13.64
Yield Losses (@ 13 %)
million Tones
27.293 9.178 13.65 1.773 50000 88.65
5. Reported Loss Due To Combining
Sr.
No.
Source Year Make Grain
Losses
(%)
1
Zahid M. M. 1999.
MSc. Thesis UAF Comparative
stud of different harvesting
methods for the optimal yield of
wheat.
1999 Claas 12.15
2
A report on Efficient Harvesting
of Wheat and Rice by
DIRECTOR GENERAL
AGRICULTURE
(FIELD) PUNJAB, LAHORE
Crop
Reporti
ng
Service-
2017-18
New
Holland
17.36
5
6. Grain Loss Variation due to
Moisture Content
Grain moisture % Losses %
26 5.3
20 5.6
13 6.49
6
Note: Recommended moisture content
for combine harvesting is 14 to 20 %
7. Types of Machine Losses
Sr.
No.
Type of Losses Places of Losses
1 Header losses Cutter bar, reel, auger,
forward speed
2 Threshing losses Threshing drum,
concave, beater
3 Grain breakage
losses
Over speeding results
excessive grain
breakage
4 Separation losses Sieves, blower
7
8. Average Grain Losses Distribution
Sr.
No.
Loss Source Loss in
kg/ha
Percent
loss
1 Shattering 41.96 1.31
2 Header 157.34 4.92
3 Threshing 177 5.53
4 Blown loss 12.15 0.38
*Total Loss 388.45 12.14
8
* Zahid M. M. 1999. MSc. Thesis UAF Comparative stud of different harvesting
methods for the optimal yield of wheat.
12. Strategies to Reduce Grain Loss?
1. Ensure combine adjustments w.r.t operator’s manual.
i. Ensure preseason maintenance as per check list
ii. Ensure pre and during operation maintenance as per check list
during season
iii. Ensure post season repair and maintenance
2. Capacity building of operators and helpers
3. Awareness of farming community regarding sources of losses.
4. Keep the cutter bar as close to the ground as possible for lodged
crop.
5. Ensure reel index as 1.25 and cutting index as 1.8
6. Start harvest at 20% M.C. and complete before 14% M.C.
7. Overloading of the power source should be avoided
8. Operate at optimum cylinder speed to avoid grain breakage
9. Grain with chaff in storage tank – increase blower speed
10.Grains flew away with chaff – decrease blower speed
11.Fire hazard - always fix updated fire extinguisher at proper place.
12
13. Replacement of Fast Moving Parts
• Power belts, drive belts for different pulleys
• Reel chain, tailing auger chain, elevator chain
• Cylinder bearings, straw walker bearings,
cleaning unit bearings
• Cutting knives
• Guides
• Rasp bars
• Retractable fingers supports
• Hydraulic oil seals
13
14. Cost Analysis of Reconditioned Combine
Harvester
Type of Cost Amount (Million PKR)
Annual Fixed Cost Combine
worth 3 M
Combine
worth 10 M
Interest on Capital @ 17% 0.51 1.7
Housing Cost 0.06 0.06
Depreciation (for 5 years life of machine) 0.54 0.9
Annual Operating Cost
Repair and Maintenance 0.30 0.05
POL for Wheat and Rice 1.87 1.87
Operator + Helper 0.2 0.2
Annual Total Cost (Fix + Operational) 3.48 4.08
*Gross Annual Income (Wheat + Rice) 5.10 6.8
Net Annual Income 1.62 2.02
14
*For harvesting of 1700 acres per annum @ PKR 3000 and 4000 per acre respectively
15. Combine Owner Interviews
Questions Answers
Owner Name Respondent 1
Combine Harvester Owned + Model 01- New Holland, NH-8070, SPPERY, Year
1986
Registration of Combine Nil
Annual Harvesting (Wheat + Rice) 1900 acres
Charges per acre for Combining
(Average)
PKR 3000
Drivers Education Training etc. Nil
Repairing facility used Local
Certification of Repairing Facility Nil
Maintenance Schedule No Scheduled, done after a season or when it
is needed
Combining Loss Observed More than 80 kg per acre
Satisfaction level or comments Not satisfied with repair and maintenance
facilities/workshops, poor quality of spares
and available at triple cost.
15
16. Manufacturer/Workshop Owner
Questions Answers
Owner Name Respondent 1
Workshop Narowal
Spare Parts Received From local manufacturer, Gujranwala
Registration of Combine Nil
Education, Training Licensing etc. Nil
Certification of Repairing Facility Nil
Maintenance Schedule No Scheduled, just repair facility
No. of Combines repaired per
annum
15-20
Cost of Repair per unit 0.25 to 0.3 million PKR
After repair service Provided only for repaired parts not for
new spare or worn-out parts. 16
26. Survey Notes
• No Registration of Combines.
• Unskilled drivers and helpers.
• Non availability of standardized workshops.
• Non availability of standard fast moving parts.
• Use of substandard materials by local
manufacturers for combine parts.
• No scheduled repair and maintenance by
combine operators.
26
27. Recommendations
• Government may impose ban on import of old model combines
below 2010.
• Registration of combine harvesters and fitness certificate
should be provided by Pakistan Engineering Development
Board in collaboration with Agricultural Universities and
AMRI.
• Trackers should be installed on combine harvesters.
• Government should provide subsidy/interest free loan to the
combine owners for up-gradation of existing combines or
import of combines.
• Government may be provide interest free loans for
standardization of workshops to upgrade and R&M facility as
per ISO standards.
• The import duties and taxes may be exempted on import of
combines and related parts.
• Line sowing of wheat should be promoted.
• Kabota harvester for wheat should be imported.
27
