Mechanization of Rice Harvesting in Yangon Suburban Villages in the 2010s

Abstract

In the 2010s, the agricultural labor force in Myanmar continued to decline due to increasing employment opportunities in the urban and non-agricultural sectors along with the economic growth. The labor shortage became especially apparent in rice harvesting. The demand for labor-saving harvesting led to a rapid increase in the use of combine harvesters. This paper examines the rapid shift in rice harvesting since the mid-2010s, from employing agricultural laborers to using combine harvesters, based on a survey conducted in rice farming villages in the suburbs of Yangon. Only a few farmers own the expensive combine harvesters, and most farmers outsource harvesting operations to combine contracting services. This study found that the existence of agencies that coordinate the work of farmers in the village and negotiate with the contractors has led to the mechanization of harvesting, regardless of the farm’s acreage, at a relatively low contract fee. The labor-saving effect of combine harvesters is enormous, and thus the labor shortage during the harvest season has been alleviated. Mechanization of harvesting has significantly reduced employment opportunities for agricultural workers. As a result, agricultural laborers are now being employed to harvest low-productivity fields that do not cover the mechanization costs. The study also revealed that contractors who maximize the operating area and utilization rate of combine harvesters by traveling over a large area with different harvest seasons can earn higher profits than farmers who own combine harvesters and contract the operation nearby.