Read the passage: 'Although mechanical harvesters drastically reduce the operational time required to harvest grain, they demand substantial capital investment and are inefficient on fragmented smallholder plots with irregular topography.' What can be inferred about smallholder farmers?
Options:
(A) High capital costs and plot fragmentation make mechanical harvesters less viable for them.
(B) Smallholders always achieve higher harvest yields than large commercial farms.
(C) Mechanical harvesters cannot operate on flat terrain.
(D) Smallholder farmers prefer manual sickle harvesting under all circumstances.
Answer Key:
A
Step-by-Step Solution & Explanation
The limitations cited (high capital and small/irregular plots) directly imply that mechanical harvesters are less suitable for smallholders.