Small self-propelled sugar cane harvester

The problem is that it still will need to be loaded on a truck after cutting. The laborers needed to load will also cut.

 

Knowdafish,

Just only have 3 hectares that we had plowed, cleared, planted and weeds pulled again a few months back. I did "buy" another 800 m2 that was already planted and will harvest and that little spot goes back to the owner (apparently he needed some quick cash). We costed out having it plowed by caraboa vs. tractor and the costs were about the same, unfortunately we were on a "waiting list" to get a tractor in to do the work, so it was quicker at the time to go with the caraboa.

I tend to read up on things quite a bit and a youtube video showed a small harvester being used in the PI, so it got me thinking...

All my trips to Negros have had me staying mostly in Tanjay, with only a couple days in Dumaguete each trip, so I'm still trying to figure out all the spots to find things there.

Shawn

 

Pat,

We've had no problems getting workers for the sugar cane so far and the 4 guys we have doing some various construction work have all done us well.

I am always impressed and amazed how they can bust @ss in the heat there. I came up in construction and now work managing construction projects, so I definitely appreciate how they can work in the conditions they do.

I can get workers to do the harvest and in the grand scheme of things it would end up being cheaper, but I still would like to get my hands on a sugar cane harvester if I can find one.

Thanks!

Shawn

 

Just something to think about also, i am sure you have heard about construction equipment, tractors, trucks etc being burnt here in the last few months.. The government is very quick to blame the NPA or other groups but a lot of it is just plain pissed off folks who have been put out of work by mechanization. I lost 15 hectares of sugar cane that way, burnt before milling because of labour problems where i refused to bow down to some of the local labour.. be carefull as a foreigner cause they also have guns and not afraid to use them..

 

It is definitely not worth it for only 3 hectares.

 

I'm starting small just to get me feet wet and see how it goes profit wise. If it works out okay then we will expand. Pigs have not done too well so I'm thinking about scrapping that and trying goats. Keeping my options open and just playing around right now to see what works and learning along the way.

Sometimes the lines between "need" and "want" get blurred, so if I can find the small harvester I want I will buy it. The GF is in Dumaguete today so we will see if she has any luck finding one.

Thanks for all the advice, I definitely appreciate the input.

 

I hadn't heard about any equipment being torched and it really sucks someone torched your sugar cane. I tend to keep in the background and let the GF be the one to p*ss folks off:D.

I will keep in mind what you passed on.

Thanks!

 

Just another point, as your property is in Tanjay, take a look around and you will see a lot of land that was sugar cane has now been converted to fish ponds, the @ss fell out of the sugar price a few years ago and again this year so people just got fed up.. If your property was on one of the rail lines leading to one of the mills you may make a bit of money or if you own your own truck as you get a transportation allowance which most sugar farmers rely on to make any kind of profit..If you have less than 10 hectares and you are having to hire trucks you are basically an employment agency for the locals, if its a hobby for yourself go for it but don't plan on making any money on it..Its kind of a foreigner thing and even if you let your wife deal with the locals they will soon know where the money is coming from and they aren't going to cut you any deals..

 

Thanks for the information. I'd eventually like to have some things in the fire that would make at least beer money, so that is why I am just taking things in small bites and trying to figure out what may work. I would really like to sit down and talk with you next time I'm over there, if you could spare the time I'm buying dinner and beers.

Shawn

 

Location does play a key role in attitude. There is definitely less money in sugar than 2-3 years ago when prices peaked, but there is still plenty of money to be made in sugarcane if it is done "correctly". The locals just got spoiled and thought they were entitled to the high price paid 2-3 years ago! The weather in certain parts of the Philippines has also paid a key role in the attitude of farmers. In certain areas with dirt roads they haven't been able to harvest on time because the trucks can't get in or out to take the sugarcane to the mills. A 1-3 month delay in harvesting is a BIG DEAL to a poor farmer who is broke and needing to get his crops harvested and sold! The other problem is that a lot of them rely on their sugarcane harvest to pay off all the $$ they have borrowed! $$ for fertilizer, for food, and for whatever. They promise their lender the moon when they borrow and lose face when they can't pay it back on time! Get the current price per ton from your local sugar mill, and work backwards to find out what your net profit will be. This is the only way to get an accurate feel for prices and profits!