The Impact of Purchasing New Agricultural Machinery on Fuel Consumption on Farms

Abstract

The aim of this study was to see how purchases of new agricultural machinery affected fuel consumption on farms. This study, conducted in the Małopolska region in Poland, covered two reporting periods (before and after the purchase of machinery). The analysis included factors relevant to the indicators analyzed, including changes in fuel consumption, changes in the area of agrotechnical treatments, changes in working time, and changes in installed power. To study how fuel consumption evolves under different conditions, the following variables were used as grouping variables: area of farms, power of the largest tractor, index of technological modernization (ITM), groups of crops, groups of agrotechnical treatments, and groups of machinery. Statistical analysis showed significant differences between the analyzed groups. The research showed that the purchases of new agricultural machinery increased fuel consumption on farms. In the population studied, the volume increased by 8% compared to the initial period. The increase in consumption after modernization was mainly due to the purchase of more powerful tractors, while the increase in productivity and the changes in technology due to more modern ones did not compensate for the increase in power demand.