Crop Area and Income Variation between New and Existing Technologies for Sugar Beet at Large-scale Upland Farms: Effect of Decreasing Labor and Increasing Farm Area

Abstract

We analyzed the differences in crop area and income between new and existing technologies for sugar beet transplanting and harvesting at a large-scale upland farm. The new technologies are "6 rows beet transplanter for short paper pot" and "6 rows beet harvester," developed by a consortium of machine manufacturers, sugar factories, and agricultural cooperatives established by the National Agricultural Research Organization. We used linear programming for the analysis. We assumed that farms use these new technologies by enlisting contractors, rather than purchasing them, because these technologies need high investment. Our results reveal that when farmers increase their farm area by 10% and decrease farm labor by 0.5%, by utilizing existing technologies, their incomes decrease. This is because they have a lack of labor from April 20 to May 10 (a period in which they can only plant sugar beet, onions, and potatoes) and the area of planting sugar beet, onions, and potatoes, from which they get most of their income, is reduced. Meanwhile, when farmers hire new technologies, their incomes increase. This is because they can increase the area of planting sugar beet, onions, and potatoes and reduce labor costs.