A COMPUTER-PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT FOR FARM M ACHINERY SYSTEM ECONOMICS SELECTION

A Pascal Computer Program (SOMA) was developed at the National Mayse a nd Sorghum Research Center, EMBRAPA, in Sete Lagoas, MG, Brazil, with the objective of making decisions on selection of farm machinery and e quipments, based on its technical and economical requirements. This pr ogram is working according to Hunt's model (1977) and its feasibility was tested using data from seven farms of Ituiutaba, Minas Gerais. Acc ording to the results, the computer program worked very well, minimizi ng the operational costs and also, giving technical support for the fa rmer decisions. The SOMA program showed good results, on the condition s it was tested, even making use of parameters for different condition s from those of the Brazilian agriculture. These results shown in this program can be used as a good help to the farmers on the selection of the agricultural mecanization system.