The Suitability of The Utilization of Small Second-hand Agricultural Tractor : Case Study in Khon Kaen Province

Abstract

The use of small second-hand agricultural tractor has been increasing for Thai Farmers. Thus, the suitability of the utilization of small second-hand agricultural tractor was aimed to help increase the advantage of productivity of agricultural tractor was aimed to help increase the advantage of the productivity of agricultural products. This research emploued the agricultural conditions in Khon Kaen Province for preliminary study. By interviewing the farmers who use these tractors and using trator performance testing, the results could be obtained as follows:

1. Agricultural conditions: The main plant was paddy rice which covered 68.2% of planting area, while the next were sugar cane and cassava. 69.1% of household farms were owned by farmers with less than 20 rais/farm. The important farm investments were from themselves and from Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives respectively 75.5% of farms used the walking tractor as agricultural prime mover. While 7.6% used the 65 hp tractor.
2. The use of small second-had trator. Although, this was a second-hand item. The device wored satisfactorily, The power ratio between PTO and new engine Power was in the range 0.67:1   0.90:1 Thus the farmers accepted and appreciated it worthiness, Most farmers used it beyond the return period point. Higher than 108 working hr/yr, or 296 rais/yr. The most frequent trouble was the aveailability of spare parts. Another trouble was the damage of ball bearings of the wheel axle when using in the paddy field.

From these findings, it could be concluded that there was a suitability to use small second-hand tractor in Thai agricultural work