Cost-effectiveness analysis of harvester John Deere 1470D Eco III in poplar (Populus × Canadensis) plantations – case study

In the last few years, harvesters have been increasingly used in stands of deciduous tree species. The use of harvesters in Serbia began in 2008 with John Deere 1470D Eco III and it was used for felling trees and production of wood assortments in poplar plantations in the lowland area. The aim of this paper is to determine maximum profit by engaging a harvester in the given conditions, as well as to determine the total costs of the asset. Harvester achieved a total of 18,392 machine hours (MH), with an average of 1,415 hours per year. The average fuel consumption during the entire period was 16.3 l/h, or 0.76 l/m3. The highest cost of spare parts was in the 6th year (around 66,000 euros) and in the 12th year (around 82,000 euros). The total cost of spare parts and services was 656,878 euros. Based on the planning that the number of work days per year is 200, an amortization period of 7 years is obtained (the point of intersection of current and average profit growth). Results of this research indicate that harvesters older than 7 years should be replaced with new machines, due to high maintenance costs. However, these are only initial researches, which will be continued with data on several harvesters that have been procured in the meantime.