China: Township Tobacco Station Successful in Applying Tobacco Straw Removing  Machines

Source from:  Qujing Tobacco Monopoly Administration 10/12/2012

Maming Township Tobacco Station in Malong County of Qujing City in southwest China's tobacco-producing Yunnan Province has got desirable results in applying six tobacco straw removing machines in removing tobacco straws from fields in a timely manner, at the end of the leaf tobacco harvest season for the current year. As application of the tobacco straw removing machines has proved to be time-saving and manpower-saving, the machines well received by local tobacco growers. Local tobacco growers told news media that previously, they would have to basically rely on manpower to remove tobacco straws from fields, which would involve high labor intensity and much manpower. Today, with the application of tobacco straw removing machines, things have greatly changed. For example, a single tobacco straw removing machine is capable of removing tobacco straws from more than 50 mu (3.3 hectares) of fields per day, or 3 mu (0.2 hectare) per hour, which is 24 times the previous work efficiency. Therefore, the use of each tobacco straw removing machine can save the work of up to 13 to 15 farmers, and cut costs in leaf tobacco production to the tune of 300 yuan to 500 yuan (48 U.S. dollars to 80 U.S. dollars). Besides, the fields appear to be more orderly and tidier with the use of the machines, which are easy to operate. As application of the tobacco straw machines contributes to reducing labor intensive, cutting costs and saving time in a maximum way in the interest of eventual realization of the target of cutting costs and raising efficiency, the machines are universally well received by local tobacco growers. Enditem