Trends in the Use of Tractor Power for Sugarcane Production in Puerto Rico

Abstract

The types and number of tractors used on a given farm is a fairly reliable indicator of the degree of its mechanization. A field study was conducted to ascertain the trend in the use of tractor power for sugarcane production in Puerto Rico. A total of 957 tractors were included in the study. It was found that there has been a sharp rise in the use of tractor power in sugarcane production in Puerto Rico since 1969 and yearly acquisition of wheel type has been much higher than for tracklayer tractors. Recently acquired tractors average about 100 horsepower per unit.