Mechanisation Requirement For Rice Production In South Africa
By Dr Tingmin Yu
ARC-Agricultural Engineering
Feasibility of Mechanised Rice Production
The application of modern crop cultivation techniques, including mechanisation has been key to improving agricultural productivity significantly. In the context of commercialising rice production, mechanisation has been playing a critical role across the whole production value chain.
The feasibility study for mechanised rice production has indicated that upland or dryland farming with controlled irrigation is most practical for rice production in South Africa rather than paddy field practice in other parts of the world. Accordingly, the fundamental mechanisation requirements across the rice production process can be clearly identified and investigated.
Machinery and Equipment Requirements along with Rice Production Process
The operational process for rice production can be illustrated by Fig. 1.
Fig. 1. Illustrated operational process for rice production
Tractor and power requirement
The tractor is the powerhouse for the majority of the fieldwork together with other implements. Due to the heavy soil clay content and moderate to high moisture content required for growing rice, the power requirement is categorized as between medium to heavy-duty. A four-wheel-drive tractor with the 50-60kW engine will be able to cover the primary tillage work for up to 50 ha with a period of 5 to 10 days.
Land preparation – soil grading, levelling or scraping
In case of flooding irrigation plan, the land is preferred to be divided into blocks with levelled terrain and sloped at a certain angle. Therefore, equipment for soil grading, levelling or scraping is needed to prepare the land. This fieldwork can be optionally contracted to outsource because it is not necessary for every season.
Land preparation – soil tillage and seedbed preparation
A mouldboard plough and a harrow as used for conventional primary tillage will be sufficient to prepare the soil ready for seeding/planting.
Planting/Seeding
A row crop planter such as wheat planter can perform rice planting in dryland direct seeding. Fertilizer can be also applied with planter when necessary.
Rice planted for 2018-19 season on a pilot farm nearby Vaal River.
Weed control and cultivation
Weeding by applying herbicide can be done by a boom sprayer or knapsack sprayers. Alternatively, a cultivator can be used to do mechanical weeding.
Harvesting
A self-propelled combine harvester for rice is the ideal equipment to complete harvesting. A combine harvester with engine power at 50kW will be sufficient to cover 50 hectares in a limited time window. Unfortunately, rice combine harvester can only be sourced by import at the meanwhile.
Harvest time during season 2017-18.
Post-processing
Grading and packaging equipment is necessary for paddy grain or milled rice after harvesting. However, the milling process will need a series of equipment to perform cleaning, husking, separating, polishing and another additional process.
The Way forward
The implement and equipment for mechanised rice production under upland or dry soil tillage is ready in the market. The combine harvester and majority of the post-processing equipment will have to be sourced and imported from other countries like China or India.
Sourcing, evaluation, recommendation and training on mechanisation are suggested to be investigated as further study.
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