Corn is about to enter the harvest period. Is it more cost-effective to sell it in the field or to sell it separately?

Summary: Is it more cost-effective to sell corn together with the stalks, or to sell the kernels alone?

Let's look at a set of data reports.

In 2017, in Gongyi, Henan, "one mu of land here can produce about 2.5 tons of corn stalks, and the purchase price at the field edge is about 0.14 yuan per jin, so the price of stalks from one mu of land is about 700 yuan." The corn stalks mentioned here are corn stalks with corn ears attached, and they are purchased at the field edge.

In 2014, in Xinshao Village, Damogu Town, Luliang, Yunnan, farmers could sell one mu of corn stalks with ears for 600 yuan to more than 800 yuan. It is clearly stated here that these are corn stalks with ears, purchased at designated points.

In 2017, in Qibin District, Hebi City, "one jin of corn stalks can sell for 6 fen" and "whole-plant corn is 240 yuan per ton. Calculating on the basis that one mu of land can produce 2.5 to 3 tons of corn and stalks, farmers can earn about 600 to 720 yuan per mu." From the description, pure corn stalks are 6 fen per jin, while the selling price of whole plants with ears is more than 1 mao per jin, 600-720 yuan per mu. Stalks without ears are purchased at designated points, while those with ears are purchased at the field edge.

In 2013, in Qingdao. "The stalks can be supplied to dairy cattle farms, and each ton of stalks can sell for 130 yuan." The stalks mentioned here are purchased at designated points without ears.

From the above data, it can be seen that for corn stalk recycling across various regions nationwide, the purchase price with ears is basically around 700 yuan. Based on this year's average corn price of 0.9 yuan, the selling price of 700 yuan may seem a bit low. The purchase price at the field edge for stalks without ears is 3 fen. If you harvest them yourself and then deliver them to dairy farms and other places for sale, it is 6 fen per jin, and if one mu of land only has stalks, the income is around 100 to 80 yuan. Adding the corn income, this is nearly 200 yuan higher than selling directly with stalks to dairy farms.

From the above analysis, it can be seen that purely in terms of income, selling corn after harvest yields 100-plus yuan more than selling it together with the stalks. If after harvest the stalks are also sold, there can be another 100-plus yuan in income. Therefore, after harvesting the corn, selling the stalks as well is the most cost-effective choice.

From the perspective of labor input, in some places contracts are signed with farmers. After the corn is harvested by the farmers themselves, the company will go to the field to collect the stalks, so farmers do not need to do it themselves. In other places, farmers need to harvest the stalks themselves and then sell them at designated points to the company. Of course, if the company comes to collect them, the price is 3 fen, and if sold at designated points, the price is 6 fen. The price difference is basically equal to the labor input. So no matter how you calculate it, the company calculates more precisely than farmers. It will not let farmers lose out; it only lets farmers earn a hard-earned fee.

From another angle, if this year's corn harvest at home is not good, it is also acceptable to sell it directly in the field together with the stalks, which saves both labor and mental effort. If this year's corn is growing well, after harvesting the corn, returning the stalks directly to the field saves fertilizer input and also increases the organic fertilizer content in one's own land, improving the soil structure.

Overall, if the corn is growing well, harvest it yourself. If the corn has not set seed very well, then sell it directly together with the stalks. As the saying goes, the company will definitely purchase at the price most favorable to itself, and will only let farmers earn a hard-earned fee in the process.

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