• The total owning and operating cost (RM/ha) of Bedformer depends on the annual use of the the total purchase price of the machinery (i.e. tractor and implement) and the field capacity of the machinery.
• The field capacity of machinery in making raised beds varied depending on the depth of cultivation, the height of the raised beds, the depth of subsoiling, the slope of the terrain, the soil condition and the degree of weed infestation.
• The cost of making the raised beds with subsoiling using the Bedformer on medium to light soils is about RM 94.00/ha as shown in the TABLE below. The cost of soil tillage operation followed by the ridging operation without subsoiling adds up to about RM 104.00/ha.

Evaluation of economic viability of PADITRAK-tractor

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                           4-W tractor      4-W tractor     4-W tractor
                    	   & rotavator      & ridgers	    & Bedformer  
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Purchase Price(RM)	     39,000.00	    34,000.00	     42,600.00	


Fuel consumption (L/ha)          6              6              6
Labour Cost (RM/h)              4.73           6.30           4.73
Operating cost (RM/h)          25.34          20.94          29.64

Working width (m)               1.5            1.5            1.5
Speed of operation (kph)         4              4              3
Field efficiency (%)            70             70             70
Field capacity (ha/h)          0.42            0.42           0.315
Operating Cost (RM/ha)         64.08          49.86           94.10

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ASSUMPTIONS

The following assumptions were made in the economic analysis:
• The annual use of Tractor is 1000 hours.
• The annual use of Tractor for bedforming is 500 hours.
• Interest is 10%.
• Salvage value is 10%.
• Economic life of Tractor is 10 years, that of the rotavator is 8 years and that of the ridger is 8 years.
• Straight line depreciation
• Oil cost is 15% of fuel cost