CHAPTER 1

TRADITIONAL FARM IMPLEMENTS USED IN SIKKIM

AND NEED FOR FARM MECHANIZATION
Introduction

The economy of the Northeastern States is mainly rural and agrarian. The region
offers scope for cultivation of a wide variety of agricultural crops because of its diversities in
topography, altitude and climate. Agriculture provides livelihood support to nearly 70 % of
the population in the region. In spite of covering 7.7 % of the country’s total geographical
area, the Northeastern region produces only 3 % of the country’s total food grain production
for the 4 % country’s population living in the remote area. Constraints like poor
infrastructural facilities, soil erosion, faulty land use practices, lack of improved farm
machineries and implements, lack of awareness on scientific cultivation and post harvest
losses still prevail. The geographical land-to-man ratio in the Northeastern region (0.67 ha /
person) is much higher than the national average (0.32 ha / person). In other words,
availability of man power is very low (1.48 person / ha) compared to national average (3.13
person / ha). In many places, traditional system of farming prevails and agricultural operations
are carried out mostly by women. The region continues to be a net importer of food grains
even for its own consumption. Avasthe and Pradhan (2005) estimated that per capita
availability of food grain in Sikkim is 158 g / day. By considering the State population of 5.77
lakhs (as on 2003-04) and floating and migrant population (~1.23 lakhs) Avasthe and Pradhan
(2005) projected that food grain deficit in Sikkim would be 77 g / day. This deficit has to be
bridged and at the same time drudgery to the farm workers have to be minimized. Since
increase in cultivable area in Sikkim is not possible beyond 79,000 ha and wages of labour
can’t be brought down below Rs. 100 per day, increase in production and productivity of
crops must come from intensive cultivation which warrants adoption of appropriate farm
mechanization or use of improved farm tools and machinery. However, the topography of
Sikkim is rugged with difficult terrain, wide variations in slopes and altitude. Infrastructure
including transport is poor. All these hamper mechanization in agriculture.

Over a period of time, there is a progressive increase in the share of purchased inputs
to the farmers’ own produce like seeds, fertilizers, pesticides etc. Increased use of purchased
inputs in agriculture necessitated to raise their use efficiencies though mechanization. The
rising labour wages and maintenance cost of bullocks also necessitate farm mechanization.
Farm mechanization would be helpful to bring significant improvement in agricultural
productivity.

Although the reason to support farm mechanization in Sikkim can be numerous, the
timeliness of operations assumes greater significance. For instance, sowing of mustard must
be completed before the second fortnight of November; sowing of maize must be completed
within February second fortnight. A delay beyond this period will decrease the yield. Farm
operations like ploughing, hoeing, harvesting, threshing and marketing are to be performed at
appropriate time otherwise the yield and farm income is affected adversely. However, when
such operations are performed through indigenous methods, their efficiency is reduced. To
ensure timeliness of various operations, it is quite inevitable to use such mechanical
equipments which have higher output capacity and cut down the number of operations
performed. This will increase the cropping intensity. Higher productivity of land and labour is
another factor, which clearly justifies the need for farm mechanization. The Report of the

1
Sub-Group on Agricultural Implements and Machinery for Formulation of 9th Five Year Plan,
GOI (1996) indicated that farm mechanization increase the productivity by 12-34 %, save
seed rate by 20 %, save fertilizers by 15-20 %, enhance cropping intensity by 5-22 % and
increase gross income and return of farmers by 29-49 %.

Assessment on energy requirement

Energy requirement for various agriculture operations increases as the percentage of

slope increases. In the prevailing farming systems of Sikkim, where human labour and
animals are the chief sources of power, improvements in cultivation practices or productivity
of crops require still more energy, parts of which have to come from inanimate sources. The
cropping pattern in a typical village of the hilly ecosystem in Sikkim consists of maize,
paddy, beans, ginger, tomato, chillies in kharif season followed by mustard, peas, potato, cole
crops in winter season. Large cardamom and mandarin are the major perennial crops. The
system is generally self-sufficient in cereal production but deficient in oilseed and pulses. The
energy requirement for different crops vary from 3089 to 10056 MJ/ha. In farming systems
dependent upon animate power sources (human and animals) about 1 to 2 KW/ha energy is
considered sufficient. But in Northeastern Region, farm power availability is generally low
(0.67 KW/ha) as compared to national average (1.15 KW/ha). Studies have shown that field
operations like seedbed preparation, weeding, sowing, transplanting, harvesting are the major
energy consuming operations in the hills although it varies with season and crops. In Sikkim,
during kharif season, weeding operation consume more energy (e.g. maize) while seedbed
preparation and irrigation require more energy in winter crops (e.g. mustard). Improved farm
tools and machinery contribute hardly 1 % of the total energy.

Traditional farm tools used in Sikkim

A number of traditional farm tools are being used in Sikkim. Some of which are
depicted in Fig. 1 and in Table 1.

Table 1 Commonly used traditional farm implements in Sikkim

Vernacular Power
Implements / Tools Purpose Material / Make
name Source
Kaata, Faruwa Digging, levelling
Spade and Fork Human Steel
and Khurpi etc
Bamfok and Used for cutting
Tree cutting knife Human Steel
Khukuri trees
Kachia and Grass cutting /
Sickle Human Mild steel
Hassia harvest
Wooden plough Halo Ploughing Bullock Wood
Carrying basket Doko and
Transportation Human Bamboo & Jute
with belt Namlo
Cleaning farm
Winnow Nanglo Human Bamboo
produce
Hand and Foot
Okhli and Dhiki Milling paddy Human Wooden
pounder
Seed bin Dhikuti Grain storage - Bamboo

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 Hoe and hand fork
Spade (Kodali and Chamkodalo) Sickle (Kachia, Hassia,)
(Khurpi and Hate kaata)

Digging Fork (Kaata) Knife (Khukuri) Knife ( Bamfok)

Carrying basket (Doko with

Line marker (Halo) Winnow (Nanglo)
Namlo)

Rice storage in bin & bags Hand operated rice pounder

Leg operated rice pounder (Dhiki)
(Dhikuti & Bora) (Okhli with Mushli)

Cardamom knife (Elaichi churi)

Fig. 1 Traditional farm implements and tools used in Sikkim

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Appropriate mechanization for Sikkim

Agriculture in hilly region line Sikkim demands a set of machines, which is small in
size, light in weight and has the capability to do maximum possible operations. This machine
should be such that it could be easily taken uphill or down the slope by two or three persons.
It must be able to operate in the narrow terraces where other bigger machinery is unable to
reach and perform the operation. The required machine should have more field efficiency and
reduce drudgery. The Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Bhopal, ICAR Research
Complex for NEH Region, Umiam, Meghalaya and SAUs designed certain low cost and light
weight farm tools, implements and machineries suitable for different farm operations in hilly
region. This technical bulletin describes list of those implements suitable for Sikkim, its mode
of operation, cost and its supplier.

Desi plough (Halo) made up of locally available woods with imperfect finishing is
widely used in Sikkim which is less durable. In place of local plough, the simplest low cost
but durable ploughs like light weight iron plough, Bose plough, Melur plough etc. are
suggested. Few entrepreneurs in the nearby States have started manufacture of light weight
power tillers with reduced hp range (1.5 hp), which can work in terraces of width less than
one metre and can be lifted easily by three or four person. Its various modifications are
suitable for ploughing, puddling, interculture, basin making, spraying and transportation in
paddy cultivation are also available. Custom hiring of machineries and implements have to be
encouraged so that marginal and small farmers can also get the benefit of machineries. At
present, the hiring charge for bullock varies from Rs. 150 to 200 per day without ploughman
and for power tiller it is Rs. 120-150 /h without the operator.

Traditional kaata, faruwa (spade and forks) and khurpi of different shapes are used for
digging soil, levelling and intercultural operations. An improved khurpi with certain
ergonomic features was developed by the ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region. This
can be used in squatting position for breaking and loosening hard soil in addition to weeding.

Seeds of maize, mustard, beans etc. are sown in line at a depth 3 to 4 cm. A J-shaped
wooden stick usually called Halo is used for line marking. In place of halo an adjustable row
marker (made up of mild steel) designed by the ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region,
Umiam, Meghalaya can be used. Four or five lines can be made at a time or in a single pull
and hence it reduces labour requirement.

Hand sprayer, pneumatic sprayer and knapsack sprayers were introduced by the State
Agriculture Department and are in use by the progressive farmers. Though Sikkim is an
organic State, still sprayer can be employed for a variety of purposes such as application of
biopesticides, spraying growth regulators etc. Rocker sprayer and pedal operated sprayer can
also be used in large cardamom and Sikkim mandarin.

Agriculture in Sikkim is predominantly rainfed. Most of the kharif crops do not

require irrigation from June to September due to assured rainfall during the period. However,
for winter crops it has been a practice to divert water from small hill streams or natural
springs from the upper reaches to the field through bamboo channel. Water is brought to these
channels gravitationally to the individual plots through secondary or tertiary branches. For
Sikkim mandarin, no irrigation is provided during winter which is a limiting factor for
realizing higher yield. Drip irrigation will be useful for Sikkim mandarin. Sprinkler irrigation
can be used for large cardamom and tea plantation. Sprinkler irrigation can also be used for

4
providing irrigation to winter crops like cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, and during pre-
flowering stage in mustard, rayosaag, peas, carrot and radish.

Crops like rice, wheat, mustard are threshed by treading i.e., pressing under the hooves
of cattle or human foot or beaten with wooden logs. Pedal operated or motorized paddy
thresher is recommended. The milling of rice is done using wooden hand or pedal operated
rice pounder (Okhli / Dhikii). The output is only 5 to 7 kg/ h. Use of mini rice huller is
suggested to reduce drudgery. A small scale rice huller can be operated by a 5 hp Kirloskar
diesel engine or by 6 hp electric motor. The output is 10-15 q /h.

Agro-processing activities are limited and transportation of farm produce from farm to
marketing centre is generally tedious. As a result the loss of perishable produce increase in
labour cost is high. The humid weather of Sikkim is generally unsuitable for post harvest
operations. It is difficult to dry the produce to safe moisture level (e.g. cereal 12 %, pulses 10
%, oilseeds 8 % and feed and forages 8-10 %) without dryers. Small and medium capacity
dryers can be purchased by a community or panchayat institutions and can be shared for all on
hire. With the help of dryer, the produce can be cleaned, graded and dried properly and the
resultant produce will be sold at higher price. The CIAE, ICAR and Spices Board have
developed an improved bhatti/dryers for curing large cardamom capsules. The improved
dryers help to retain the characteristic flavour and appearance of cardamom capsules.

During harvest season when arrivals of produce in the market are high, prices are
usually low. Just a couple of month later market prices are usually higher to 20 - 30 %. Thus,
if farmers have proper on-farm storages to store their produce and make off-season sale, they
can have greater net returns from their produce and by-products. Grains are sun dried on mats
made up of cane and stored in bamboo bins and granaries. The roof of conventional granary is
thatched. Corrugated GI sheet is suggested in place of thatched granary. The ICAR Research
Complex for NEH Region Meghalaya has designed an improved granary for storage of grains
and a structure for storing ginger which can be adopted in Sikkim as well.

Table 2. Improved farm tools and implements suggested for Sikkim

Seedbed
Irrigation and
preparation, Harvest and Post
Tillage Sowing Plant
interculture Harvest
Protection
operation
Drip & Improved sickle,
Hand or row sprinkler large cardamom
Metallic
marker, leveler, irrigation, hand knife, pedal-paddy
Bose plough, dibbling
long handled sprayer , thresher, tubular
Melur plough, stick
rakes & hoes, knapsack & maize sheller,
light weight iron multipurpose
rotary weeder, prayer mini rice huller,
plough and light manual seed
secateur, scythe, Pneumatic dal mill, oil
weight power drill and
budding & sprayers, pedal expeller and
tiller. transplanting
grafting knife and operated improved bhatti
shawl
hedge shearer. sprayer and for curing large
rocker sprayer cardamom

5
Repair and maintenance services

The local blacksmith are fabricating forging forks (kaata), hand fork (hathe kaata),
serrated sickle (kachia), plain sickle (hassia), spades (kodali), big cutting knife (bamfok),
country plough share (fali and karua), khurpi (karni), kaata (small spade like tool), axe and
knife (khukri), cardamom knife (elaichi churi), etc. Although local blacksmith and carpenter
play an important role in providing essential farm tools to farmers, Singh et al. (2005)
reported that the production potential of indigenous latha / workshops are very low. Most of
the lathes are century old with poor raw materials. The laths are part of owner’s house itself.
Their financial status is poor due to less profit and low turn over. The annual income of a
blacksmith in Sikkim (assessed based on the monthly production and sale data) is around
Rs.30 to 40 thousand as against Rs. 1 to 1.5 lakh per year earned by some improved workshop
in Assam and Manipur (Singh et al., 2005). Farm tools are manufactured after taking order
from farmers. Few blacksmith are sending their materials to retail shop. In the lean period, the
blacksmiths are engaged in repairing broken tools, sharpening of old knifes, reconditioning of
serrated sickle tooth and other maintenance work. The income accrued from these is generally
insufficient to run his business. A suitable intervention from Govt. is required to regain the
dignity of the indigenous industry. The wooden parts of the implements or tools are made by
carpenter. Their home or workshop is not always near to blacksmith’s lathe. Therefore,
farmers have to carry the finished products from lathe to carpenter home which is a burden to
them. The handle of spade, fork and hoe are sometimes made by farmers themselves. The
angles and finishing are imperfect which increase drudgery to the workers.

Concerns and Recommendations

1. Due to geographical isolation and other socio-economic factors, farmers are still using
their own traditional implements. The traditional tools are made using mild iron sheet,
bamboos, wood etc. Few design variations are noticed depending upon the skill and
ingenuity of the artisan (blacksmith and carpenter). The innovations of the local
artisians / farmers are to be recognized and scientific ideas grafted upon them for
improvement wherever scope are possible.

2. While switching over from mono-cropping to double or multiple cropping, it is needed

to refine the design of locally available farm tools and implements for efficient use of
available power. Emphasis has to be given on design and development of manually
operated tools and implements suited to the mid hill / slope.

3. Feasibility study of new implements and machinery developed for similar conditions
elsewhere can be taken up in Sikkim.

4. To create awareness among farmers, a set of feasible implements are to be displayed

in the Farmers’ Melas, KVK Centers and Agricultural / Horticulture Departments.

5. Custom hiring of implements have to be encouraged so that marginal and small

farmers can also get the benefit of machineries.

6. The latha and workshop of blacksmith and carpenter needed renovation and
upgradation. At the same time awareness among farmers about improved farm
implements have to be created and the purchasing power should be improved which

6
 will create more demand of better quality farm implements. The local artisans can
make benefit from demand driven situation.

7. Agricultural engineering technologies are skill oriented. Without trained man power,
technicians and operators repair and maintenance task will be extremely up-hill. It is
necessary on the part of Government to offer some development programmes for
mechanization of agriculture and on post harvest technologies.

Conclusion

The production and productivity of crops cannot be enhanced with primitive and
traditional operations. Hence, there is need to strengthen mechanization to stabilize farm
economy. However, keeping the socio-economic and topographic factors in mind, we feel that
full-scale mechanization is not needed as in other states of the country. Selective
mechanization is the need of the hour. If so, most of the arguments against farm
mechanization can easily be managed. With the establishment of College of Agricultural
Engineering and Technology under CAU at Ranipool, it is hoped that the work on farm
mechanization and post harvest technology will gather momentum.

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 CHAPTER 2

IMPROVED FARM IMPLEMENTS SUITABLE FOR SIKKIM

TILLAGE IMPLEMENTS

Melur plough, Bose plough and Iron plough

Melur plough is a light weight plough (8 kg) suitable for ploughing in wetland while
Bose and iron ploughs are for dryland. In Melur plough, the share is made up of iron casting
while pole shaft, handle etc are made of wood. Bose plough is similar to Melur plough and
weighs 14 kg. Except pole shaft, other parts in Iron plough are made with mild steel hence,
more durable. As and when the share wears off, it can be pushed forward. Pole shaft angle
and height of handle can be adjusted according to field requirements. The plough comes with
a mould board as an optional attachment for soil inversion. The field capacity of Melur
plough, Bose plough and Iron plough is 0.2, 0.4 and 0.5 ha / day, respectively and cost Rs.
700 to 1000. An improved ridger plough designed by the ICAR Research Complex for NEH
Region, Umiam, Meghalaya is also suitable for Sikkim. It is lighter and has two blades fitted
on a broader share. It increases inversion percentage to 80 %, thus resulting in saving in cost
of operation up to 40 %.

Melur Plough Bose plough Iron plough Ridger plough

Plough Manufacturers
1. Melur Plough: Chakkaram Plough Industries, PBN.16, Melur, Madurai Dist.-625 007 (TN)
2. Bose Plough: Zonal Research Centre, TNAU, Lawley Road, Coimbatore-641 003 (TN)
3. Iron Plough: Vishwakarma Agricultural Improved Machinery Manufacturers Association,
Kamankhan Bazar, Bijapur-586 101 (Karnataka)
4. Ridger Plough: ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam-793 103 (Meghalaya)

Light weight power tiller (Model Balram-3 or Ajit 3000 make)

It is operated by 3 hp petrol start kerosene run engine. Balram 3 power tiller weighs 30
kg while Ajit make weighs 110 kg. It can be dismantled into
three pieces for easy carry in the hills. It is useful for
ploughing in terrace and sloppy lands as well as intercultural
operation around the trees. Its working speed is 2 km / h. Six
straight bkhar blades are mounted tangentially on each star
wheel to form the rotary tool for churning the soil. The width
of operation can be varied by changing the number of star
wheels, while depth of operation can be modified by adjusting
the rear wheel. Total width of cut is 60 cm. Depth of operation 8-15 cm. Field capacity is 0.11
ha /h. The power tiller cost Rs 1-1.5 lakh. Nearest manufacturer: Vishwakarma Yantralaya Kalli
Pashchim, Raibereli Road, Lucknow (UP).

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 IMPLEMENTS SUITABLE FOR PREPARATORY CULTIVATION

Digging fork

It is be used for digging in stony soils, intercultural operation

and for harvesting potato, ginger, turmeric etc. The handle is made
of locally available wood or bamboo. The prongs are forged to give
pointed sharp edge for penetration into the soil. The tool is
commercially available and cost Rs 200/-.

Dutch hoe

It consists of a rectangular flat blade with sharp edges on

cutting side and a U shaped frame with conical tube. To the conical
tube, a circular long wooden hand is fixed. The function of the hoe is
to break the soil crust. The tool can be operated in the crop rows. It is
commercially available and cost Rs. 150/-.

Adjustable row marker

Sowing seeds in rows facilitates easy intercultural operations

like weeding, earthing up etc. This manually operated tool is designed
for marking rows at different spacing on seedbed. It has three markers
fitted on a sliding bar. According to the crops to be sown (maize,
pulses, oilseeds etc), row to row spacing can be adjusted between 20 to
60 cm at 5 cm intervals by sliding the tynes on a cross bar. It has field
capacity of 1.2 ha / h at 20 cm row spacing. The cost of implement is Rs. 350/ and can be had
from ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam, Meghalaya.

Garden rake

This manually operated tool consists of set of bent spikes joined to a

long bamboo handle. It is used for levelling of beds, crushing of clods,
collection of uprooted weeds and aeration of soil. This tool can be handled in
standing posture. The Garden Rake cost Rs. 100 /- and can be had from the
ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam, Meghalaya.

Hand leveller
This manually operated hand leveler consists of a steel blade
attached to a long wooden handle with the help of a ferrule. To fill the
minor depressions in the seedbed or nursery, this leveller is dragged
backward and forward This tool is manufactured by Vishwakarma
Yantralaya Kalli Pashchim, Raibereli Road, Lucknow (UP)

Earth auger

The earth auger is a manually operated hand tool made up of mild steel. It
is used for making holes or pits for planting. It consists of a cutter head having
semicircular blades connected to pipe with the help of clamp and flange. The
connecting pipe is further connected to a handle. For operation the cutter head is

9
placed on the moist soil and rotated manually which helps in penetration of the head. The
cutter entraps the soil and is pulled for removal of the soil. This action results in creating a
hole/ bore or pit slightly larger than the head diameter. The auger is repeatedly lowered into
the hole until desired depth is achieved. The cutter heads are available in different diameters
for making various sizes of holes.

SOWING AND PLANTING TOOLS

Seed treating drum

It consists of a drum (capacity 10 kg) mounted on a frame at

400 with horizontal bar and operated manually by a crank handle. It is
used for thorough mixing of pesticides and fungicides with seeds
before sowing. It saves 33 per cent labour, operating time and cost of
operation over conventional method of mixing manually by hand. It
costs Rs 1200/- and can be obtained from Karshak Industries, No.18-
3014, Chatrinaka, Laldarwaja, Hyderabad-500 253 (AP)

Manually operated seed drill

This tool is suitable for sowing seeds in rows

at desired seed rates for crops like maize, mustard,
peas etc. Its field capacity is 0.50 ha / h at 20 cm
row spacing. It saves 50 % of cost the manual seed
sowing and results in 5 % increase in yield
compared to conventional method of sowing behind
country plough. The PAU model cost Rs 700/- and ICAR model costs Rs.
1200/- Manufacturer: ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam,
Meghalaya and Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana.

Bulb Planter or Plant replacer

This hand tool is used for uprooting the sapling of small

plants with the lump of mother soil along with root system for
planting. For its operation, the outer cylinder is driven into the soil
up to the root zone of the sapling and the topsoil around the sapling
is compacted with the press plate having a notch for holding the
sapling. After compaction a jerk is given to the cylinder and it is
pulled out. The press plate is pushed to remove the sapling along with soil lump. The cost of
implement is Rs. 500/-. Manufacturer: Tata Iron and Steel Co. Ltd, 43, Chowranghee Road,
Kolkata-700016 (WB)

Garden trowels or transplanting trowel

The trowels are simple hand tools made by pressing mild steel
sheet. It is provided with a short wooden or plastic handle. These are of
various shapes and can be used for transplanting the seedlings,
uprooting seedlings and bulbs and for earthing up of vegetable. The
tool is available commercially and cost Rs. 50 to 75 /-.

10
 WEEDING AND HOEING TOOLS
Hand rake
Hand rake consists of five or more pronged forges bent at the tips.
This tool is used for loosening and aerating the soil without damaging the
root in kitchen garden. It can also be used for collecting trashes in nursery
beds. It is commercially available and cost Rs 50 to 75. It has field capacity
of 0.005 ha / h.

Long handle weeder

The ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam, Meghalaya
has developed several long handle weeders such as circular blade weeder,
grass slasher, hand fork, V-blade hand hoe which have been demonstrated
to the farmers in NEH Region. These long handle (1.5 to 1.6 m long)
weeders allow doing weeding without bending thus reduce drudgery to the
operator and increase the work efficiency. These tools when pulled forward
by operator scraps the soil and cut the weeds leaving soil in a pulverized
condition at its original place. Labour saving to the extent of 60 to 65% can be achieved over
traditional method. The weeders are also suitable for weeding in rice field transplanted in
lines. Labour saving to the extent of 60 to 65 % is achieved through these implements over
the traditional implements. The cost of these tools is Rs. 75 /-.

Hand hoe and mattock

The hand hoe consists of a triangular shape blade with one of the
vertices drawn to form a tang. The tang is inserted in a wooden handle. The
cutting edge of the blade is sharpened for easy penetration in the soil. Mattock
is also a multipurpose double-ended hand hoe. Its one end has a broad edged
blade for digging and the other end consists of narrow edged blade similar to
axe for cutting the roots and small stumps. Both the tools are used for
weeding in garden land, loosening soils without disturbing the roots,
dibbling and harvesting of tuber crop such as ginger, potato in pending
posture. Different types of hand hoes are available with price range of
Rs. 75 to 200.

Wheel hand hoe

It is a multipurpose manually operated walking type
implement. It is lighter in weight (7-8 kg) and can be used for
operations like making furrows for sowing, weeding and earthing up.
Different attachments like ridger, V blade,etc can be mounted on the
hitch bar depending on the type of operations. For easy operation, this
implement requires 30 cm row-to-row spacing. Its field capacity is
0.03 to 0.05 ha / h depending upon the attachments. The weeding efficiency is 75 % and
labour requirement per hectare is 20 man hours. It saves 70 to 75 % on labour and operating
time and 80 % on cost of operation. It costs Rs. 500 and cost of operation is Rs. 300-400 / ha.
Manufacturer: ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam, Meghalaya.

Hand weeding fork

This is a commercially available tool, consists of small wooden
handle and three pronged metal sheet forks. The pronges are curved
toward one side with pointed tip. It is used for loosening the soil in
addition to weeding in vegetable crops. It is used in sitting posture.

11
Cono Weeder
Cono weeder is used to remove weeds between
rows in paddy field. This weeder is easy to operate,
and does not sink in the puddle. The weeder consists
of two rotors, float, frame and handle. The float, rotors
and handle are joined to the frame. The float controls
working depth and does not allow rotor assembly to
sink in the puddle. The cono weeder is operated by pushing action. The orientation of rotors
create a back and forth movement in the top 3 cm of soil. Manufacturer: Premer Magnetos, Prem
Bazar, Kharagpur (WB)

Garden Sword, grass slasher and Scythe

These hand tools are used for cutting of the grasses, forest
vegetations and weeds on the terrace riser or field bunds. It can be operated
in sitting, squatting and standing position. The tools consist of a wooden
handle and a long metal strip or blade with one of the edges sharpened for
cutting the grass. In grass slasher and Scythe, the end of the blade is bent to
J shape and can be operated in standing position. It is commercially available and cost Rs.
300. Manufacturer: The Basanta Singh Blacksmithy, Sagolband Thangjam Leirak, Imphal West,
Manipur.

PLANT PROTECTION TOOLS

Hand sprayer
The hand sprayer is a small capacity (0.5 to 3 liters) pneumatic
sprayer, ideal for spraying insecticides and fungicides in small nurseries
and kitchen gardens. Chromium plated brass tank as well as plastic
sprayers are available in the market. The sprayer has a short delivery
tube to which a cone nozzle is attached. In some models, the nozzle is
attached at the top of the tank with flow spring actuated lever, which
regulates the flow of the spray liquid. For spraying, the tank is usually filled to three-fourths
capacity and pressurized by air pump. The compressed air causes the agitation of the spray
liquid and forces it out, on pressing trigger or shut off type valve. The spray nozzle is to be
directed to the target after charging. For maintaining proper atomisation of the spray liquid,
the tank requires frequent pressurization.

Hand compression sprayer and Knapsack sprayer

It is manually operated by mounting on the back of
operator. The capacity of the tank varies from 10 to 14 liters. It is
suitable for all crops having standing height up to 1.5 m. It saves
labour and cost. The cost of sprayer is Rs. 1000 to 1500/-. Petrol
start-kerosene run power sprayer (0.25-0.5 hp motor) is also
available, which can be used for fast spraying in large scale.

Rocker sprayer
Rocker sprayer is a high pressure sprayer designed for operation
with one or two lances. It consists of long wooden handle and a piston
pump, made from brass alloy, for generating required pressure and small air
chamber to compensate pressure during spraying operation. A long hose
pipe is provided with nozzle. Carrying of sprayer on operator back is not
required and the intake is provided in a bucket. The pump is operated with

12
long lever to and fro in a rocking motion which sucks the liquid from the inlet pipe
submerged in the spray liquid. The other person holds the lance and directs the spray chemical
to the target. If two lances are used, then it may require in all three persons for the spraying
operation. With high jet spray gun or bamboo lance the spray chemical can be delivered to a
height of up to 10 m. It is suitable for spraying on trees, mandarin and large cardamom
plantation.

Foot sprayer
It is also a high pressure sprayer which can throw spray fluid upto
20 ft height. The sprayer consists of a pump operated by a foot lever,
suction hose with strainer, delivery hose, spray lance fitted with shut off
pistol valve, gooseneck bend and adjustable nozzles. It has provision for
the two discharge lines, which increases its versatility and field capacity.
For operation the inlet pipe with strainer is placed in a bucket containing
spray fluid and one person continuously operates the pump by foot lever.
The other person directs the lance to the target. There is a provision for the
operator to hold the sprayer at the top by V-type fixture. For spraying tall trees up to a height
of 10 m, a high jet or bamboo lance can be used.

TOOLS USED FOR HARVEST & THRESHING

Paddy thresher
The pedal operated as well as the motorized paddy thresher are suitable for Sikkim.
The pedal operated thresher consists of wooden drum having 12 x 12
wire loop teeth spaced at regular interval in staggered fashion. Two
person are required for its operation i.e. one has to rotate the drum at a
speed of nearly 400 to 500 rpm through crank and gear arrangement
attached to the foot pedal and other person has to feed the ear heads
portion of paddy in the rotating cylinder. The wire-loops hit the ear
heads and grains get detached from straw. For continuous rotation of
the cylinder, the pedal is lowered and raised repeatedly. It weighs 50
kg and can be easily carried to the field or threshing floor. Its output
capacity is 44 kg /h with 99 % threshing efficiency. It saves 20 %
labour and 40 % operating time as compared to conventional method of hand beating on a
wooden platform. The equipment costs Rs. 4000 /-. For large scale operation, it would be
better to go for a power operated thresher run by single phase 1.1 kW electric motor or
petroleum-start-kerosene run engine. Its output capacity is 200-225 kg /ha. Manufacturer: ICAR
Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam, Meghalaya.

Electrical Maize Sheller

This handy tool is used for shelling of maize cobs. After
shelling the chaff is automatically removed by winnowing. The
machine consists of a threshing cylinder, concave and centrifugal
blower mounted on a frame. It is operated by 2 or 3 hp motor.
Cob feeding is manual. The threshing cylinder is of spike tooth
type. Round bars are used as spikes, which are fitted on circular
rings. The head comes out through the opening at the far end of
threshing drum. A blower is used for cleaning the grains. Its
capacity is 20 q / h. Manufacturer: National Agro Industries, Link
Road, Industrial Area A, Ludhiana-141 003 (Punjab).

13
Hand operated maize sheller

It is a manually operated maize sheller suitable for shelling maize

from dehusked cobs. Shelling is done by holding the sheller in one hand
and gradually inserting the cob into the sheller by the other hand with
forward and backward twist. It is made up of MS sheet and available in
two shapes viz., tubular and octagonal type. One person can shell around
30 kg of grains in an hour without any injury to palms as compared to
only 10-12 kg per hour possible by the traditional method of shelling by
hand. The cost of a maize sheller is Rs. 50 /-.

Three-in-one thresher

This 3-in-1 gadget was developed at the University of

Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore to thresh maize, groundnut
and sunflower. It is a simple implement operated by a handle
attached to right side and a shelling device at the left. The
whole gadget is made up of MS sheet, rubber and iron frames.
It weighs 7 kg. To operate this thresher, fix it on a stool with
bolt at convenient height (3-4 ft). Partly insert one end of the
maize cob into the shelling device. Hold the cob steadily with
left hand. Gently rotate the handle at right in clockwise
direction. When the seeds are removed from one side of the cob
inserted into the shelling unit, remove the cob and insert the other end of the cob into shelling
unit while handle is still being rotated slowly. If properly handled, damage to seeds can be
minimized, thus seeds can be used for sowing without affecting its germination. The shelling
capacity is around 30 kg per hour. It can save 60 % of the labour cost for threshing. This
implement cost Rs. 650/= and can be had from The Head, University of Agricultural Sciences,
Post Harvest Technology Centre, Gandhi Krishi Vigyan Kendra (GKVK), Bangalore 560 065, phone:
23330153.

Citrus harvester

Three types of citrus harvester namely, push and twist type, hold and twist type and
pull and cut type was developed at the ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam,
Meghalaya. About 300 fruits could be harvested in an hour by using these devices with less
damage (4-12 %) to the fruits. Push and twist type device consists of a ring (100 mm dia). The
ring is welded on a U shaped frame over a 10 mm dia rod to which a handle is fitted. A cloth
conveyor is attached to the ring to prevent impact damage due to free fall of fruits after being
harvested. Pull and cut type of harvester employs scissors mechanism for shear cutting of
fruits. The blades of the scissors can be mounted at different angle-horizontal, vertical and at
an inclination. The blades are actuated by pulling a cord over a pully fitted on one of the blade
handles. A cloth conveyor over a steel ring below the blades helps in collecting fruits after
cutting, thus avoiding damage due to free fall. Hold and twist type device is based on hand
picking mechanism where individual fruit is first held between two jars of the harvester and
then twisted to shear off the stock. These are held together by a tension spring on a pivot fitted
on 10 mm MS bar. A handle can be fitted to the bar. One of the jaws has a lever bracket and a
rope arrangement for operating the jaw. A 3 mm thick rubber sheet paddling is provided
inside the jaws to avoid any skin damage while holding the fruits. After its detachment, fruit

14
is released by pulling the cord into a ring and cloth conveyor arrangement provided below the
jaws for collection at ground level without any damage.

Animal drawn potato digger

The animal drawn potato digger weighs 18 kg and is suitable for

digging and exposing potato tubers from soil. It is provided with a V
shaped blade with round bars at the rear. These rods help in separation
of soil from potato tuber. It saves 40-45 % labour. This implement cost
Rs. 1500/ and the cost of operation is Rs 1500 /ha as compared to Rs.
2400 / ha by conventional method. Manufacturer: Droli Mechanical
Works, Magestic Road, Moga-142 001 (Punjab)
Winnowing fan

This is a mechanical device for generating winds for cleaning

of grains from chaff when natural wind is not available. It consists of
a frame, 3-bladed fan. The fan is operated by a hand lever ora bicycle
pedal drive arrangement with seat, pulley belt transmission system
and a grill partition. The frame is mounted on a wooden board.
Manufacturer: ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam,
Meghalaya.

Large Cardamom knife

Elaichi churi is used to remove old shoots of large
cardamom bush and to harvest capsules. It consists of a wooden
handle and a blade bent at tip. The blade is made of square section
rod but flattened at the tip. The exterior side of the blade tip is
sharpened which is pushed gently in the soil to remove old and
dried shoots. Manufacturer: Manbhala Khati Blacksmithy, Samlik
Marchak, Ranipool (East Sikkim) and Manbir Lohar Blacksmithy,
Madogown, Chachung (West Sikkim).

HORTICULTURAL TOOLS

Hedge shear and hand saw

The hedge shear is like a large scissor. It is used for pruning and
trimming hedges to give desired shape. It is also used for cutting of
shrubs and removing of haphazard growth in gardens and lawns. There is
stopper near handle to prevent accidental crushing of hands while
holding the handle. Hand saw is made of flexi MS sheet and is used
for trimming and pruning small branches.

15
Secateure
Secateure is meant for cutting thin shoots in the nursery, flower
crop and ornamental plants. It consists of scissoring blades with plastic
handles. Being handy and easy to operate, it is considered to be an
essential tool of the gardener in plant propagation. Various types of
pruning secateurs are fabricated for removing or cutting of unwanted
branches or twigs, cutting of scion sticks, defoliation of leaves from the
sticks and topping of small trees. These are single cut, double cut, parrot
nose cut, roll cut, supa cut, replaceable blade type, easy cut, kiln cut
secateurs. For operation the branch or the twig is held in between the blades and handles
pressed together which produces shearing action and cutting of the material.

Budding and grafting knives

Budding knife consists of a folding blade and a handle. The blade has two edges. One
of the edges is sharpened all along its length whereas the blunt or the other edge is sharpened
on the tip and is slightly curved. This sharpened curved portion is used to create a 'T'opening
or slot on the bark of the mother branch or twig for the insertion of the bud. The edge
sharpened all along its length and is used for cutting of scion stick or defoliation of leaves
from the scion and slashing of bud from the stick. Some budding knives have a short and
round plastic blade at the end of handle called budder, which is used for raising of the bark of
the slot for insertion of the bud. The blade when not in use is folded into the handle. The outer
part of the handle is made up of horn, plastic or fine quality wood and the internal fittings is
of brass or aluminium alloy. A spring steel strip is also provided to lock the blade in operating
position. For operation the sharp edge of the blade is held against the scion stick and force is
applied at an angle, which causes cutting of the stick.

The grafting knife resembled a household knife. The operation of the knife is similar
to that of budding knife and it is mainly used to cut the scion sticks for veneer grafting, cleft
and stone grafting and inarching. The functions performed with the grafting knife are
defoliation of the leaves of the scion stick, making ' V'groove for grafting and making of
chisel point of the scion for insertion in the '
V'groove.

The budding and grafting knife is a multipurpose knife to accomplish both the
budding and grafting jobs. It consists of three knives folded in position on a handle. On one
end of the handle, a knife with sharp edge is fixed, while on the other end of the handle, one
bigger knife and one miniature knife is hinged. With these provisions, the knife is used for
making cuts on the stems of one plant so that the shoots or bud of another tree or plants is
inserted into it for making it as permanent part.

Budding knife Grafting knife Budding and grafting knife

Lopping shear or forest shear

The shear consists of two shearing blades joined to a

socket to which wooden handles are inserted. It is used for
pruning and cutting of branches and twig of fruit trees in standing

16
position, which are beyond the reach and capacity of pruning secateure. For operation the
handles are pulled apart which open the blades and the branch or twig to be cut is brought in
between the blades. The blades are closed to put cutting pressure on the branch, which thus
get sheared. Due to long handle thick branches can also be cut with the lopping shear.

Tree pruner

The tree pruner consists of a lever operated blade

mounted on top end of a long pole. A serrated saw is
fixed for cutting the branches. The blade is operated by a
long rope tied to the spring tension shearing blade. It saves 30 % labour as compared to
conventional method. It is commercially available and costs Rs. 1500 /-

Grass shear

The grass shear is simple hand tool used in maintenance

of lawns and trimming the ends of cardamom capsule. The
blades are sharpened at the cutting edge and are joined to a ' V'
shape spring steel handle, which keeps the shearing blades
always in open position. In some models the blades are pivoted
at one point and a link is provided to actuate one blade by
pressing the handle. For cutting the blades are repeatedly actuated. The cost of shear is Rs.
150/-. Manufacturer: Tata Iron and Steel Co. Ltd, 43, Chowranghee Road, Kolkata-700016 (WB)

TOOLS RELATED TO ANIMAL SCIENCES

Chaff cutters
Chaff cutter is used for cutting chaffs, grasses, green and dry fodders, maize stover
and paddy straw into bits. Three models are available commercially viz., pedal operated, hand
operated and power operated chaff cutters. The cutters consist of a trough, cutting blades
fixed on a flywheel, shear plate, handle and stand. For operation, fodder is fed in the tray
pushed by one hand, and the other hand and a leg actuates the curved cutting blade. For
manually operated machine, two persons are required-one person can feed fodders in the
feeding trough and another can rotate the flywheel with handle. The materials fed in the
hopper is gripped between the feed rolls which pull it and the material get chopped between
blades mounted on the flywheel and stationary shear plate. The cost of manual chaff cutter is
Rs. 4000 to 6000 and motorized one including 5 hp motor is Rs. 18000. Nearest Manufacturers:
Sunlight Foundary Barabanki, Lucknow Road, Barabanki (UP) and U.P State Agro Industrial
Corporation Ltd. Agricultural Workshop, Talkatora Road, Lucknow-226 004 (UP)

Pedal operated cutter Hand operated cutter Power operated chaff cutter

17
Roughage (Feed) block making machine

This machine is used to prepare animal feed blocks from

grass, crop residues, straws, leaves and other conventional / non
conventional feed materials. It is a easy and economic way of
handling and storage of feeds without much wastage. In Sikkim
fodder become scarce during winter. Therefore, this machine will be
of great help to farmers to preserve feed and fodder by minimising
wastage. Two types of machine are available namely, motorized and
manually operated briquette. The motorized block making machine
(175x145x75 cm) is made up of mild steel frame fitted with a motor.
It can be operated with three 3-phase electric motor. The size of the
block is 30x30x20 cm and it weighs 5-6 kg. The rotary motion of
the motor is converted to give a linear vertical motion to a crosshead mounted on screw shaft.
Suitable switchgears have been provided to monitor the operation of the machine. Adequate
safety measures are made to stop the machine in the case of malfunctioning or over loading.
Manufacturer: Agricultural Product Process Engineering Unit (APPE), Anand Agricultural University,
Anand-388 110 (Gujarat).

18
 CHAPTER 3

SELECTED POST HARVEST PROCESSES

LARGE CARDAMOM CURING

Large Cardamom (Ammomum subulatum Roxb.) is an important cash crop in Sikkim.

In India, only three states viz., Sikkim, West Bengal and Arunachal Pradesh produce large
cardamom. The maximum area is in Sikkim. It is used as spice and flavaouring agent for
food, confectionery and beverages. The seed contains 2 to 3 % essential oil. The seed is used
for treating throat and respiratory ailments of human. The quality of large cardamom capsule
depends on appearance and flavors. Appearance consists of colour, uniformity in size, shape
and consistency, while flavour consists of taste and odour. Both the parameters are influenced
by the method of drying or curing. Freshly harvested capsules contain 80-85 % moisture. The
capsules are perishable and have to be dried immediately to a moisture level around 8-10 %.
There are three different methods of drying / curing large cardamom capsules. They are:

1. Traditional bhatti system

In Sikkim and Darjeeling, large cardamom

capsules are dried in a traditional drying kiln called
bhatti. The kiln size is about 1 m long on four sides and
about 2 feet height. The bhatti is made up of mud and
stone masonry wall on four sides. An opening is
provided in the front-wall to feed fire wood. A bamboo
mat is placed over these walls as a drying tray for
holding large cardamom capsules. A temporary thatch roof is also constructed at the time of
curing. Normally the kiln is constructed by each grower within his farm. The raw cardamom
is evenly spread over the drying platforms (mats) in thin layers of 15-20 cm. The hot smoke,
reaching maximum temperature of 60 oC, passes through the cardamom layers and provides
the slow drying. It takes nearly 35-40 h for complete drying i.e. till the capsules become hard
and gristly in texture and turn dark brown. The temperature is maintained at optimum level
and capsule is stirred at regular intervals. In the traditional bhatti, there is no control over
temperature. Sometimes the capsule gets dried excessively or unevenly resulting in poor
appearance and loss of aroma.

2. The Indian Cardamom Research Institute modified bhatti

The improved bhatti was designed by the Spices Board. It consists of two parts
namely the lower bhatti and an upper curing chamber. The lower bhatti is made by cutting the
soil to 2.4 x 1.8 x 1.5 m and pitched with rubbles. An oil drum of 2 feet diameter is placed at
the centre to serve as the fire place or hearth. Flue pipes run from hearth all along the upper
half of the bhatti and finally the pipe is connected to an exhaust of about 2.4 m height. An
iron net floor supported with G.I. pipes / wooden bars is fitted above the bhatti for spreading
fresh capsules through which hot air moves upwards. A brick / stone wall (30 cm ht) is
provided all along the border for spreading the capsules. To conserve energy, the upper curing
chamber is hooded with bamboo mats (60 x 90 cm). The bamboo mat is plastered with mud
and cow dung mixture on the outer surface and its opposite sides are fitted with two
ventilators (30 x 15 cm). The fire wood is burnt in the hearth to generate smoke laden hot air

19
and it passes through the flue pipes and finally escapes through the outlet. In this process, the
air inside the bhatti gets heated up and passes upward through cardamom capsules spread on
iron net. Vapour generated in the process escapes through the ventilators. A temperature of
35-45 oC is maintained inside the curing chamber. The system is very simple, portable and
can be fabricated with locally available material. Natural
colour and unique flavour of cured cardamom is retained
which is not possible in local bhatti. The cost of 200 and
400 kg capacity bhatti would be Rs. 12, 000/- and Rs
21,000/-, respectively. For the construction of improved
bhatti, the Spices Board provides subsidy to eligible
farmers. The 200 kg capacity (raw capsule) bhatti can
cure cardamom in an about 17 h and those with 400 kg
would take 37 h. The fire wood requirement is about
1.50 to 1.80 kg / kg of raw capsule and any type of fire
wood can be used as fuel (Srinivasa et al., 2007).

2. The ICAR modified bhatti

The improved bhatti was designed and fabricated

by the Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering,
Bhopal and the ICAR Research Complex for NEH
Region, Meghalaya. It consists of a curing chamber,
furnace, blower and a diesel engine or electric motor.
The curing chamber has three partition each one can
hold 10 trays vertically. The trays are placed on a
wooden holder. Fresh cardamom capsules are spread
uniformly on perforated trays and pushed into the curing
chamber. The doors are locked to prevent hot air from escaping. Diesel is passed to the
furnace and gets ignited there. The air passed from the blower gets heated in the furnace. The
hot air is circulated in the curing chamber and escapes through the ventilator. A temperature
of around 50-55 oC is maintained inside the curing chamber and in this process the capsules
gets dried retaining its characteristic aroma, flavour and appearance. In a span of 8 h 400 kg
raw capsule can be cured. The improved bhatti was fabricated to process cardamom capsule
on large scale hence it would be profitable if it is used on community basis or on custom
hiring.

GINGER STORAGE

In Sikkim ginger is sown in the month of March, April and May. The crop takes
about 8 to 9 months for maturity and harvested in November, December and January. The
green ginger (tender rhizome) is harvested after six months, before it attains fiber maturity,
for preservation, pickling and consumption. Farmers have to dispose the excess rhizome, after
keeping some portion for next year planting, immediately in the market. During December to
February ginger price is generally low (Rs 20 to 40 / kg) because all are peak product
availability months. To overcome this problem farmers store ginger in traditional ways as
detailed below.

20
1. Traditional method of rhizome storage

1.1 In situ storage: Since harvest falls in the moth of November to January, farmers do
not go for the next crop immediately because their farms are mostly un-irrigated. Instead they
harvest according to the market demand and allow the rest of rhizomes to remain unearthed in
the field. These are dug out at the time of the next sowing. This practice save labour for
harvesting, handling and storing but about 20-30 % rhizome spoil due to over maturing,
rotting and the rhizomes start sprouting in the course of storage.

1.2 Pit storage: A circular or rectangular pit is dug according to the requirement. A
thin layer of straw is spread over the bottom of the pit and rhizomes are placed in the pit up to
a little less than the ground level. Again a thin layer of straw covers the rhizomes. The final
covering (dome shaped heap) is done with the soil at little above ground level. The pit is
opened before the next sowing season. In this method, around 25-30 % rhizome rots in the pit
itself and about 10-15 % rhizomes sprout making them useless for sale or sowing.

Improved Technology: Clayed bamboo wall structure

Realizing the problems in traditional storage and considering the availability of local
material at affordable cost, an improved storage structure
was designed by the ICAR Research Complex for NEH
Region, Meghalaya (Jain et al., 1998). It is an indoor
structure. The raw material required are bamboo, clay,
cow dung, sand, polythene sheets and galvanized wire. It
has two chambers of 2 m x 2 m square and 1.4 m height
from the ground level. A double walled bamboo mat
structure is prepared with the help of split bamboo frame
and tied with galvanized wire. The two bamboo mats are
stood straight parallel at 20 cm apart with the support of a bamboo post. The paste of clay and
cow dung is poured in between the mats in 4 or 5 stages with one day interval up to the
complete height (1.4 m) of the walls. The outer surfaces of the mat is also plastered with clay
and cow dung paste. The structure is allowed to dry completely for 20-25 days before use.
Ginger is stored in the chamber. Alternate layers of dry sand and rhizomes are made keeping
thickness ratio as 2.5:10 cm. The lower and upper layer of sand is kept around 8 cm thick. The
top of the chamber is covered with the polythene sheet and sealed from the edges by putting
more pressure with the help of split bamboo. The storage capacity is approximately 4 tonnes.
The material cost for construction would be Rs 1000/- and labour cost would be Rs 1000 /-. It
was reported that there was: i) no loss in weight and moisture, ii) no sprouting, iii) no loss due
to any infestation and rotting and iv) the quality of rhizomes was maintained. The structure
proved perfect for storing the rhizomes till the period of further sowing or for five months.

Machineries suitable for Post Harvest Processes in Sikkim

Seed / Grain Dryer: Batch Type

The dryer is an indirect heating type, simple to inst all,

operate and maintain. It is used for drying all types of grains, seeds,
cereals, pulses, oil seeds, fodder seeds, spices, etc. The frame and
body are made from mild steel. It consists of portable heating unit
with automatic jet oil burners, automatic ignition, centrifugal type,

21
dynamically balanced high capacity fan for generating hot air, chimney for discharging the
effluent gases, sensitive thermostats for controlling the temperature, drying chamber with
trays, discharge spouts and other controls such as cut-off, restart, solenoid valve, photo cell,
sequence controller etc. The heating unit is mounted on wheels for easy portability. The
capacity of the dryer is 1 to 6 t /h for 13 % moisture reduction and it consume 10 to 12 litre
diesels per hour. Manufacturer: The Oriental Science Apparatus Workshops (OSAW),
Jawaharlal Nehru Marg, Opposite Civil Hospital Ambala Cantt.-133 001 (Haryana).

Mini rice huller

The rice huller removes hull and bran from paddy
grains. It consists of a rectangular hopper which feeds the
unpolished rice into the hulling unit. The hulling unit consists
of a enclosed cylinder in which a special rotor having helical
and longitudinal ribs operates. The clearance between the
cylinder and the rotor is carefully adjusted to prevent grain
breakage and to obtain high hulling efficiency. The rotor is
mounted on ball bearings and operated by an electric motor (6hp) or a diesel engine (5hp)
through a flat belt pulley. The output of mini rice huller is 10-15 q /h Manufacturer: Kisan
Krishi Yantra Udyog, 18-C, Pokharpur, Lal Bungalow, Kanpur-208 010 (UP); Punjab
Engineering Works, D-71, Phase-5, Industrial Area, SAS Nagar, Mohali-160 055 (Punjab)

Low cost multi-purpose grain mill

It is 1 hp single phase electric motor operated equipment for

grinding of rice, maize, ragi and pulses to produce grits/flour/split. Grains
with 8-10%moisture content (wet basis) and with low oil contents are
most suitable. It consists of hopper, feed adjuster and vertical grinding
wheel. Manufacturer: Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Nabi Bagh,
Berasia Road, Bhopal- 462 038 (MP)

Emery mill or flour mill

The emery mill / flour mill is used for milling grains, flour making
and for producing grits or dalia. It consists of a rectangular hopper and two
emery discs, one of which is stationary and the other is rotating. The
clearance between the two discs is adjusted to control the fineness of the
flour milled in the machine. A controlling screw with a check nut is
provided on the operator' s side for adjusting the fineness of the flour. The
whole unit is mounted inside a cast iron casing and a frame. These mills are
very popular throughout the country and readily available from many manufacturers. It is
usually operated with an electrical motor and flat belt pulley.

Oil expeller
The mini oil expeller (4 or 6 bolt type) is suitable for extracting
mustard oil. It cost Rs 1-1.5 lakh and is operated by 10 hp electric motor.
It can extract oil from a small quantity of seeds say 5 to 10 kg mustard.
From 100 kg seeds of mustard, the expeller extracts 34-39 kg oil. A small
space 20 x 15 ft is enough to accommodate the expeller. Manufacturer:
Rajkumar Agro Engineers Pvt. Ltd, Ghat Road, Near Union Bank, Nagpur–
440018 (M.S) and Archana Machinery Ltd,A.T. Road, Guwahati.

22
 The Goyum 10 model screw expeller with 1 ton capacity per hour is also suitable for
Sikkim. It has provision for a steam jacket to cook seed for efficient oil
recovery. It consists of a screw press in which the seed is progressively
crammed to expel oil. A double reduction gearbox housed in a cast iron
body operates the main screw. The gears are made up of hardened steel for
long life. Some models have provision for adjusting the thickness of cake.
The worm assembly is made up of case hardened steel and has a cone
point. The main worm shaft can be withdrawn without disturbing the
gearbox for easy cleaning and maintenance. Manufacturer: Goyum Screw Press Pvt Ltd,
Nirankari Street No: 3, Miller Ganj, G.T. Road, Ludhiana - 141 003 (Punjab)

Manual soybean dehuller

It is a manually operated dehuller for obtaining soybean splits

(dal). It consists of a hopper, two concentric cylinders, driving
mechanism and a blower fan mounted on a inclined frame. The whole
soybean is broken into split dal and passed through another screen to
remove the brokens. The fan blows away the hulls and other light
material. Dehulling takes place in the annular space between the
rotating and stationary cylinder. Manufacturer: Central Institute of
Agricultural Engineering, Nabi Bagh, Berasia Road, Bhopal- 462 038 (MP)

Cottage level soya paneer plant

Soymilk and paneer can be made at the cottage level using the simple plant. All the
functional parts are made of stainless steel. It consists of steam generation unit, grinder cum
cooker, milk filtration unit and paneer pressing device. The process of boiling soybean,
grinding to a paste and extraction of milk are carried out in this
unit. After curdling and coagulation of the milk, paneer is
pressed out using a hand press. The soy splits are ground at
80°C in air free surroundings. The unit is operated by a 1.5 hp
motor. It can handle 300 kg milk / day and its output would be
50 kg paneer / day). The milk obtained is further processed to
obtain paneer. Manufacturer: Central Institute of Agricultural
Engineering, Nabi Bagh, Berasia Road, Bhopal- 462 038 (MP)

23
Suggested Readings

Agricoop 2005. Directory of Agricultural Machinery & Manufacturers. Ministry of Agriculture,

Dept. of Agriculture and Cooperation, GOI, New Delhi. Available http: //
agricoop.nic.in/dacdivision/Machinery1/directory.htm
Alam, A. 2006.Long-term strategies and programmes for mechanization of agriculture in agro
climatic zone II: Eastern Himalayan Region. Available http: // agricoop. nic.in /Study%
20Mech.% 20pdf /06035 -04-ACZ2-15052006.pdf.
Kulkarni, S.D. 2004. Country Paper-India. Agricultural Mechanization: Present scenario and
Perspective. Available www.unapcaem.org/Activities%20Files/A21/India.pdf
NAAS, 2005. Strategies for agricultural research in the Northeast. National Academy of
Agricultural Sciences, India. Available http://www.naas-india.org / documents / Policy %
20 Paper %209.doc
Report 2007. Study relating to formulating long term mechanization strategy for each agro-
climatic zone / states in India. Ministry of Agriculture, Dept. of Agriculture and
Cooperation, GOI, New Delhi. Available http:// agricoop.nic.in /Study %20Mech.
%20pdf/contents.htm
Report 2007. Status of Farm Mechanization in India. Ministry of Agriculture, Dept. of Agriculture
and Cooperation, GOI, New Delhi. Available http:// agricoop.nic.in
/Farm%20Mech.%20PDF/contents.htm
Satapathy K. K. and C. S. Sahay 1996. Energy Management and Improved Farm Implements of
NEH Region. Research Bulletin No. 43. ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region,
Barapani, Meghalaya.
Singh, J. 2003. Scope, Progress and Constraints of Farm Mechanization in India. Available http: //
agricoop. nic.in / Farm%20Mech.%20PDF/05024-03.pdf.
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