The Research and Development wing of Mannuthy Agricultural Research Station under Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) has come up with modified version of sit and climb coconut climber and tiller to open basin around coconut trees.
The new version is cheaper, lighter, quicker and easy to operate and much more comfortable. It takes only five seconds to fasten it to a tree and same time to detach it.
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Ascending and descending a 12 metre high palm can be done within 78 second. The modified machine is fastened to the tree using flexible steel rope instead of curved stainless rod used in previous machine.
A cycle seat, a handle to hold on, adjustable loop according to changes in girth of tree, during operation, are added advantages
It is priced at Rs.3,500 against the older version costing of Rs.8,500. The R &D department has also developed a tiller which can till the soil and open up basin of 15 to 25 cm depth with 60 cm width are made around the coconut trees to spread farm manure.
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It takes 10 minutes for the tiller to open a basin and it can open six basins per hour consuming 1.5 liters of diesel. The cost including other lubrications and operation is Rs. 200 per hour. This means the cost of opening a basin of coconut will be only Rs.40.
CostUsually a worker opens up 12-15 basins a day around trees which costs Rs 50-60 per tree.
More importantly the number of basins dug per day is manifold.
The station is also working for the tillers which can work with the help of remote control so that walk behind the tiller for operating it becomes no more practice.
Farmers can book the machine by paying the cost either in cash or through DD.
(Dr. U.Jaikumaran, Prof&Head, ARS, Mannuthy, phone: 0487 2370726, mobile: 9447530673, email:arsmannuthy@kau.in)