Job £/ha £/ac

Maize drilling 47.70 19.31

Maize drilling – under plastic 134.00 54.25

ApplicAtion

Fertiliser – granular 11.77 4.77

Fertiliser – variable rate 14.37 5.82

Fertiliser – liquid 13.02 5.27

Spraying – up to 200 litres/ha 12.24 4.96

Spraying – over 200 litres/ha 13.65 5.53

Slug pellet application 7.92 3.21

Avadex application 18.29 7.40

lime spreading (£/t) 7.06

AtV spraying (£/hour) 40.71

Slurry – umbilical (£/cu m) 2.02

Slurry – injection (£/cu m) 2.33

Weed wiping (£/hour) 46.48

HArVeSting

combining – cereals 90.50 36.64

combining – oilseed rape 90.31 36.56

combining – peas/beans 94.89 38.42

combining – maize 112.06 45.37

Swathing – oilseed rape 47.43 19.20

grass – mowing 29.63 12.00

grass – topping 38.15 15.45

grass – tedding 16.13 6.53

grass – raking 16.72 6.77

grass mowing (£/hour) 46.92

FarmersWeekly 757 june 2019

MACHINERY CoNtRACtINg

FarmersWeekly74 7 june 2019

Job £/ha £/ac

Soil prepArAtion

cultivations – heavy 57.64 23.34

cultivations – light 38.11 15.43

power harrowing 53.58 21.69

ploughing 63.98 25.90

rotavating 68.33 27.66

Subsoiling 59.58 24.12

Mole draining 88.17 35.70

Stubble raking 21.25 8.60

Disc harrowing 59.00 23.89

Stone/clod separation 200.00 80.97

Spring-tine cultivating 38.73 15.68

rolling – flat 25.28 10.23

rolling – ring 17.65 7.15

DRIllINg

potato planting 99.00 40.08

cereal drilling – conventional 46.24 18.72

cereals – combi-drill 61.37 24.85

cereals – direct 58.01 23.49

cereals – min-till 51.93 21.02

rape drilling – with subsoiler 67.14 27.18

rape drilling – conventional 50.34 20.38

grass seeding – harrow 29.67 12.01

grass seeding – broadcast 24.10 9.76

grass seeding – cross-slot 54.23 21.96

Sugar beet drilling 61.25 24.80

Job £/ha £/ac

Silage – full service 160.06 64.80

Maize harvesting – full service 178.90 72.43

Wholecrop – full service 158.53 64.18

Forage wagon (£/hour) 117.59

potato harvesting 1,000 404.86

Sugar beet – harvester only 237.50 96.15

SquAre bAling £/bale

Small conventional – straw/hay 0.73

rectangular – 120x90cm 5.57

rounD bAling

120cm – straw 3.27

120cm – hay 3.13

WrApping

120cm (six layers) 6.22

120cm (without plastic) 2.66

120x90cm (six layers) 7.62

120x90cm (without plastic) 3.48

FArMyArD MAnure £/hour

rear discharge 52.80

Side discharge 56.00

HeDgecutting

Flail 40.29

Saw blade 50.58

Verge bank mowing 48.88

trActor Hire (including driver)

100-150hp 37.38

nAAC contractor charges 2019-20By Jill HewittThe National Association of Agricultural Con-tractors (NAAC) has published its price guide for the 2019-20 season, which provides a countrywide average to give contractors and farmers a steer on what they should be charg-ing or paying.

However, the NAAC has warned businesses not to rely solely on its guide and emphasises the importance of taking into account individ-ual job costs, which may be influenced by soil type, customer size, machinery required and the scale of the business. This will give a better indication of whether or not the operation is viable and profitable.

Machinery and labour costs have continued to climb and the NAAC is encouraging con-tractors to make sure the increases are reflected

in their prices. These factors, along with easier management of cashflow and depreciation, access to specialist, high-cost machinery and a dearth of skilled labour, have encouraged more farmers to call on the services of contractors.

This has put more pressure on contracting businesses to carefully plan and cost their operations to make sure they achieve a sus-tainable profit margin. It means downtime, insurance, depreciation, labour, machinery servicing and maintenance must be factored in to the price.

Like every industry, there is fierce competi-tion in the contracting sector, which can result in prices being driven down. But a successful business, with longevity in mind, is one that costs its operations carefully and refuses to work unprofitably. n

CoNtRACtoR RAtEs

Job £/hour

151-220hp 41.49

221-300hp 54.67

300hp plus 71.43

telehandler 43.52

Ditching 360deg digger 43.89

Mini digger 35.73

tractor, post knocker + labour 41.50

tractor, 12/14t trailer + driver 48.83

liVeStock HuSbAnDry

Sheep 16.00

cattle 20.00

SpeciAliSt SerViceS

Snow ploughing 57.11

labour only 19.02

SHeep SHeAring £/head

ewes 1.65

rams 3.10

crutching 0.70

Sheep dipping 1.20

FeeD £/t

Mobile feed milling/mixing 19.00

crimping 11.25These are average prices surveyed from NAAC members – the actual price may vary considerably between regions, soil types, distance travelled, size of contract undertaken, size and type of equipment used, amount of product applied etc. The NAAC is also aware that many contractors are now making individual arrangements with their customers regarding diesel (for example, separate fuel surcharge, fuel used on-farm). The prices above do not reflect this market trend and such agreements may make a significant difference to contracting charges. Prices are based on red diesel at 60p/litre, are intended as a guide only and are per area unless otherwise stated.

CoNtRACtoR RAtEs CoNtRACtoR RAtEs CoNtRACtoR RAtEs

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FWE_070619_074-075.indd 74-75 04/06/2019 14:22