Proceedings of the Fifth Asian Regional Maize Workshop - Search ...

Table 8. COst of producing, processing and marketing seed of a double-cross hybrid in
Mexico, 1992.
Percent of
unit Value sale price
seed production and processing costs:
Gross seed yield kg/ha 3,000
Net seed yield kg/ha 2,250
Total production cost US$/ha 1,878 38
seed processing US$/ha 420
(sale value of discarded seed) US$/ha (183)
Net processing cost US$/ha 237 19
Total cost of production
and processing
Per ha US$/ha 2,115
Per kg of seed US$/kg 0.94
Cost breakdown per kg of hybrid seed:
Production and processing US$/kg 0.94 57
Promotion and sales US$/kg 0.38 23
OVerhead US$/kg 0.09 5
Subtotal US$/kg 1.41 85
Net margin US$/kg 0.25 15
Final sale price US$/kg 1.66 100
seed-to-grain price ratio =6.8
Source: Lopez Pereira and Espinoza C. (1993).
replant one or more times. In all of these situations, the use of hybrid seed may be
unprofitable unless ways are found to reduce the need for high seeding rates (e.g., use of
soil insecticide in East Java, introduction of materials in Pakistan which can withstand
leaf stripping, development of improved planting equipment in Thailand).
3.3. Yield gains from hybrids
on the benefit side, the most important variable determining the attractiveness of
maize hybrids is the yield advantage they offer compared to the farmer's current material.
Depending on the type of material currently being grown, the relevant comparison may be
with an unimproved local variety, with an improved OPV, or even with another, older
hybrid. In areas where hybrids are replacing unimproved local varieties (e.g., parts of
Eastern and Southern Africa, Central America), yield increases on the order of 40-5~ are
quite realistic (Table 9). In areas where hybrids are replacing improved OPVs (e.g.,
Thailand, parts of India), it may be difficult to achieve yield increases of more than 20­
25% over the levels currently being achieved by farmers. In areas where the use of hybrids
is already extensive (e.g., China, northern Mexico, parts of Brazil), yield increases
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