Cost Catalogue

Machines are to a large extent responsible for the high costs of agricultural production in Switzerland. Is it worthwhile buying a machine, or is it perhaps wiser to rent, or outsource the work to a contractor? Compared to other countries, Switzerland’s farm machinery is often underutilised, due to the smaller size of the farms. Inter-farm use of machinery can significantly reduce fixed costs per hour of operation. Agroscope produces the basis for these calculations and provides annually updated guideline rates enabling the break-even use of the machinery. The Cost Catalogue lists the collected data for over 600 types of machines. For each type of machine, various key figures are recorded that serve as a basis for calculating the approach to compensation for inter-farm use.