SAGAR, M. et.al.SRILATHA, CH.2018-07-172018-07-172017http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810060523The present studies entitled “ECONOMICAL FEASIABILITY OF COMBINE HARVESTERINPADDYCULTIVATION”Wasundertakenmainlytostudycostsand returnsofpaddyunder conventional and combineharvester, economicviabilityofPaddy combine harvester. Medak district was purposively chosen for the study as it has considerableareaunderpaddyandmorethan85percentofpaddyareaisharvestedwith combineharvester.Thetop3mandalaswereselectedpurposivelyonthebasisofareaunder paddycultivation.OnevillagefromeachselectedmandalwerechosenpurposivelyPaddy farmersfromeachvillagewererandomlyselectedandthusmakingthetotalsamplesizeto 30.Theinformationpertainingtocombineharvesterwerecollectedfromthe10combine harvesterowners Tabularanalysis,partialbudgetinganddiscountedprojectevaluationtechniqueswere usedtostudycosts,returns, and economicfeasibilityofthepaddyandcombineharvester respectively. ThetotalcostsexpendedperacreofpaddystoodatRs.25850.18andRs.22445.92 withmanualandcombineharvestermethodsofharvestingrespectively.Thegrossincome andnetincomeperacrewereRs.38770/—andRs.12919.82/—respectivelywithConventional method as against Rs.35770/— and Rs.13067.38/— respectively per acre using Combine harvestermethod.TheretumsperrupeeinvestedwerehigherinCombineharvester(1.58) comparedtoConventionalmethod(1.50).Thenetgainduetomechanizedharvestingusing combineharvesterwasRs.147.56/—peracre. Ifthenetavailabilityoftheareawouldbeabout 1000hectarethentherespective paybackperiodwouldbeaboutoneyear.Thenetpresentworthwashighandrangedfrom Rs.9,69,426/—at 12percenttoRs. 8397097at24percentdiscountrates.Thebenefitcost ratiowasmorethanunityatallthediscountrates.Theinternalrateofreturnwasfoundtobe 23.79%whichwasmuchhigherthanthebankrateofinterest(12percent)onlongtermloans Themajorproblemsencounteredin farmmechanizationinricecultivationwere highinvestmentonfarmmachineriesfollowedbynotsuitableforsmallsizedholders.Fodder losswasanothermajorproblemduetouseofcombineharvesterforharvesting. Custom hiringwastheproblemduehighhiringchargesoffarmequipmentsormachineries.ennullTechnical Report