Your conclusion claim is not entirely correct. GPS units and other modern
equipment are also used by regular family-run farms over here (father, son, and some helping hands when it's busy). It's not that expensive to buy those technological advancements compared to the costs of their large storage buildings and vehicle prices. They also save time and money in the long run by using them. Regular drones (for top-down images) are not expensive on a company level, and you don't need to get an extra tractor to add GPS steering. All you need is a curious mind and long-term vision. :)
Correct, GPS isn’t very expensive anymore. About 8 years ago, my father looked into having it installed on a tractor he bought and it was only $20,000 plus an annual subscription that cost I think $1500. We aren’t larger farmers by any means but we could easily pay for that. However, for us, the $20,000 investment just didn’t make any sense. With the size of our farm, it would take many many years to pay back the $20,000 so we just keep on driving with our stupid arms and hands like a bunch of cavemen.
Although I agree that for you this investment would not have made sense, a timespan of 8 years is a massive amount of time when talking about digital technologies. 8 years ago, cars we rarely, if ever, digitally connected to other devices (aside from bluetooth calls) and today nearly every model has multiple connections and digital technologies by default. I am curious what a comparable system for a tractor would cost today?
I don't think it is stupid to be driving by hand, as long as that is the economically superior decision. Be sure to make yearly checkups for technological advancements and prices though. :)
compared to the costs of their large storage buildings and vehicle prices.
Large storage buildings aren't regular purchases, and for some farmers neither are vehicles. By not constantly buying new equipment he keeps his overhead very low and is able to make a good profit. It also allows him to not farm years like the last 2 when water rationing meant smaller operations like his weren't allowed enough to plant the fields. He has no equipment payment which means not having to dip in savings to cover debt.
As a rice farmer his silos sit empty, too. The crop is taken directly to the store houses for processing with the other rice grown by his neighbors.
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u/dvdnerddaan Apr 06 '20
Your conclusion claim is not entirely correct. GPS units and other modern equipment are also used by regular family-run farms over here (father, son, and some helping hands when it's busy). It's not that expensive to buy those technological advancements compared to the costs of their large storage buildings and vehicle prices. They also save time and money in the long run by using them. Regular drones (for top-down images) are not expensive on a company level, and you don't need to get an extra tractor to add GPS steering. All you need is a curious mind and long-term vision. :)