Assessment of Mechanization Level of Onion Production in Nueva Ecija

Abstract

The study was conducted to assess the level of mechanization of different field operations of onion production in Nueva Ecija. Specifically, it aimed to determine the current situation of agriculture in five (5) major onion producing municipality; assess the level of human powered, draft powered and mechanically powered mechanization technology used; analyze the mechanization index and land productivity determine the possible hindrances of mechanization; and make recommendation relative to the mechanization of onion production in the province. The five (5) study sited are major onion producing municipalities in Nueva Ecija namely Laur, Gabaldon, Bongabon, Rizal, and Talavera with production areas of 411.9ha, 1,587ha, 2,695.5ha, 1,107ha, and 520ha, respectively with a total of 6,321.4ha. An average of 3.25hp per ha is available for onion production.The level of mechanization at 0.79kW/ha of human power, 0.10kW/ha of animal power and 1.90kW/ha mechanical power are utilized in field operations has a total of 55.11kW/ha for onion production. Moreover, the mechanization index of the onion production in Nueva Ecija were computed at 0.715 or 71.5%, labor productivity at 1.375 kW/ha, and land productivity at 9.06 MT/ha. Meanwhile, major hindrances on mechanization of onion production in Nueva Ecija is the expensiveness of machines that are available in the market which is unaffordable to farmers who have small farm sizes. Thus, they prefer to borrow or rent machines to perform their farm operations.  Land preparation, spraying, and irrigation are among the field operations that utilizes mechanical power. Whereas, transplanting, crop establishment, and harvesting are done manually. This situation requires the farmers to hire laborers when needed.