Agricultural Engineering and Biosystem Department at Faculty of Agricultural Technology UGM socialised and demonstrate the use of Korean agricultural machines in Banguntapan, Bantul regency on Wednesday (28/11).
Tractor and combine harvester machines were introduced to the farmers. The machines have been produced by AGM S&E, affiliating with Seoul National University (SNU) Korea and Daedong Co., Korea.
Department Chairman, Prof. Dr. Bambang Purwantana, M.Agr., said the event was the media to introduce the use of tractor and combine harvester to give an alternative to the farmers as well as to improve agricultural production and productivity.
“Hopefully the event can be utilised by the farmers and can enhance their knowledge and skills in using the machine,” he said opening the event in Bantul.
Main researcher of AGM S&E, Seoul National University, Prof. Kyeoung Uk Kim, said the machines were the result of a collaboration with Agricultural Engineering and Biosystem Department UGM in the research scheme of AGM S&E, Seoul National University and Daedong Co., for tractor and combine harvester testing in Indonesia.
He hoped the machines would not only help the farmers increase the productivity but also contribute to Indonesia’s agricultural mechanisation.
“This testing is the first to be done in Indonesia and the start of collaboration in agricultural technology. I hope through modern technology, farmer life will get better,” he said,
Village chief, Prawata Wiyarjo, welcomed the event, hoping it would add to their insight and knowledge.
Similarly, Karyati, S.P., representative from Bantul Agriculture, Food, and Fisheries Agency hoped the event would benefit the farmers regarding the use of modern agricultural machines to improve production and productivity.
The machine, Combine Harvester Kioti DSF75, is a full feeding harvester with 73HP power. It can improve effectivity when harvesting by doing a series of activities at one time such as reaping, cleaning, sorting, and packing
Meanwhile, Kioti DK45 tractor is of 45HP power for rice paddy and Kioti RX72 of 72 HP power for sugarcane.
Wahyono from sido Makmur farmer group commented, “The use of modern machine will very much help us because it saves time, energy, and funds.”
Wahyono pointed out before the machines, it took two farmers to chop rice on a 1,500 meter of farms and additional two farmers to separate the rice from the husk. Using the machines, they farmers can save their energy, time and costs to do those jobs.
“Going forward, we are interested in using the machines because they can help us a great deal in harvesting the rice,” he said.