CAU develops low cost machine to wash crops
Source: The Sangai Express / Konsam Samita

Imphal, May 09 2021: A technology developed by the Central Agricultural University (CAU) Imphal is making washing large quantities of gingers, turmeric and other underground crops easy.

While washing large quantities of gingers or turmeric traditionally takes hours and causes inconveniences, CAU's washer hardly takes an hour to do the job.

Washing 25 kilograms of ginger or turmeric takes only about 10 minutes, said Dean of College of Food Technology, CAU, Imphal, Dr Ngangkham Joykumar.

This simple and easy to use machine was developed by the Department of Agriculture Engineering, College of Agriculture, CAU, Imphal in 2017.A machine costs about Rs 22,000.It has the capacity of washing 25 kilograms of gingers or other crops at a time in about 10 minutes, he said.

The machine is about 1 metre in height and 5 metres in width and has two drums, one fitted inside the other.

While the outer drum is made of plastic to hold water (capacity 20 litres), the drum inside is made of steel to hold the crops like gingers, turmeric or potatoes.

The steel drum has a rough surface with many holes, to facilitate water to enter inside and clean the crops.

The machine is manually operated and has a handle to rotate the drums inside to clean the crops.

It also has an outlet to drain the water and dirt after washing.

The machine weighs around 30 kilograms and requires at least two persons to move.

However, it can be easily installed and operated by a single person.

This machine can benefit commercial farmers and save their time and energy, said Joykumar.

While machines of this type are available in other States also, their costs are very steep.

Some of the machines cost around Rs 2 lakh per piece.

However, CAU's washer is a low cost machine and it will cost only about Rs 22,000 per piece, he said.

He further said that CAU has sold about 23 such machines so far to farmers from Tamenglong, Pherzawl, Chandel, Jiribam etc.

People's Endeavour for Social Change, Jiribam, Director, Akhin Pamei said the machine is very easy and convenient to use.

"I have not faced any problem with the machine so far.

It is easy to operate and does the job impressively.

However, the size [of the machine] may be increased to increase the capacity," Akhin said.

Meanwhile, turmeric planter Soibam Indira from Malom has no such machine and she washes the crops traditionally.

She said harvesting and washing turmeric crops is more time consuming than planting them.

The crops after harvest, are soaked in water for about three days before cleaning/washing.

It then takes about a whole day to wash the crops.

The crops are washed at least two or three times, she said, adding she would prefer to buy CAU's washer to ease her work.

(This article is written under the Media Fellowship Program in Scientific Journalism of the Public Relations and Media Management Cell, CAU Imphal.

Dr Indira Thounaojam, Information & Publicity Officer, PRMM Cell can be contacted at prmm@cau.ac.in to know more about this article and related information) .

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