Cost of sugarcane implantation in MEIOSI+Soybean: a case study

Abstract

Alternatives for planting sugarcane are being required to reduce production costs to turn the brazilian sugarcane more competitive in the international market. Currently, the MEIOSI planting method (inter-rotational method) has been used to reduce sugarcane production costs. With the hypothesis that MEIOSI is a better technology for reducing production costs compared to mechanized planting (conventional); this study aims to evaluate the cost of production in sugarcane planting systems under tropical conditions. The case study was carried out in the region of Mococa, São Paulo, Brazil, in 2017, monitoring the costs of planting sugarcane using MEIOSI and conventional system. Results showed that the sugarcane planting system in MEIOSI+Soybean had a cost 22% lower in the implementation compared to mechanized planting due to the lower consumption of cane seedlings (56% lower). In addition, in the mechanized planting system, the mechanization operations (cutting the seedling, transshipment and planting) caused an increase in the cost of implementing. Based on the results, we concluded that planting in MEIOSI+Soybean is a better alternative in the implementation of sugarcane plantations due to the lower planting costs.