The Low Cost Post
Harvest Technology
In today’s changing times, million dollar question is harvest technology is suitable for Indian farmers.
Let us look at current scenario. India has achieved self sufficiency for grains, cereals, fruits and vegetables. In many cases India is world leader in production. Take the case of dairy and vegetables. We are the world’s largest producers of this agro-produce. With the introduction of high yielding varieties, irrigation facilities improved agricultural practices have resulted in higher production per unit area. Area under cultivation is also on a increase and Net result is their surplus production. While these changes were occurring due to green revolution we have not given thought to post harvest technology particularly at Farm level.
We need technologies, which our poor farmer can afford, which our illiterate farmer can understand. And that the end products are accepted by the consumers in Metropolitan cities. Certainly this is a tall order. This is a difficult but not impossible. Before going to specifics, let us study why large processing plants, have failed. Many E-O-U processing projects took place during last ten years. Most of them are monuments of technologies that failed and failed miserably. There is dehydration here and an IQF pulp plant there. But the chances are it is not working. Following are the main reasons for such projects you need uniform quality of raw material throughout the year and you need the market. Here many farmers are cultivating varieties of crops as per their sweet will, in their small farms. And as far exports it is a case of fierce competition.
When India is welcoming foreign companies to come here and start industries and take advantage of large Indian market, why not we ourselves take a step or two in the direction of processing?
Here are some technologies suitable for small farmers
Solar Dryers: Drying is the cheapest mode of preservation of fruits, vegetables and other items like fishSolar drying is practised by mankind since times in memorable. This method of drying with solar energy is ideally practised by many grape growers in Maharashtra to make Kishmish/ Manuka/ Bedana from grapes.
Zero Energy Cold Storage: Many farmers cultivate fruits and vegetables, which are seasonal in nature. Produce of all the farmers come to the market yard at one go. As a result prices fall. There is a good technology catching up. This is Zero energy cold storage.
Pickles: Pickling is one of the cheapest process of preservation of fruits and vegetables. Common salt and spices are used in conventional pickles. The process of pickling does not need energy. The process is so efficient that many people make pickles in their houses, which last even two to three years. And that too without any chemical preservatives.
Fruit Juices: When we have to quench our thirst for Fruit Juices, we have either to make the juices at home or purchase tetrapacked juices at fancy prices. Of course, we have a choice to go to fruit bars four-five times expensive than tetra packets. It is general picture. However a co-operative organization in Bangalore named HOPCOM sells grape juice at one-fifth price at tetrapacked drinks and still earns profit.
Preservations in Salt solutions: Keeping them in salt solutions can preserve Vegetables. This process can be used to prolong the shelf life of various vegetables like cabbage, okra, spinach etc. In this process vegetables are kept in salt solutions and bottled. While using, just wash the vegetables in Water to remove salt solutions. Shelf life will vary according to various factors but you can prolong shelf life at least by one month in this process. Calcutta University has done considerable research in this field.
Your small-scale industry in their farm: Farmers cannot get price for their produce because they have to depend upon middlemen for marketing. A women entrepreneur near Kopargaon experienced these hardships and found a solution to the problem in her own way. She has started manufacturing ketchupes sauces of various types and also Paste of Garlic, Ginger, Chilly etc. With a small investment in machinery and building, the unit is working profitable and working in two shifts in these days of recession. The family stays on the farms. The unit is giving employment to 10 women with a small investment of only 10 lakhs. (Anjali Fruit and Vegetable Products Padhegaon near Kopargaon District Ahmadnagar). Perhaps, it can be stated with more confidence that such low cost technologies are more successful because there is more involvement of entrepreneurs in their projects.
Everybody knows water becomes cool in an earthen pot. The water oozing out of the pot gets evaporated. While this evaporation occurs, water inside the pot becomes cold this principle is called as evaporate cooling. This principle is used for zero energy cold storage. Just make a double walled room. Keep sand between the outer and inner wall. Keep the sand wet by watering. And your produce kept inside the inner room will be preserved longer. Government is giving subsidy to popularize this concept. However, the author has seen many installations of this type, which are profitable on their own because they get higher prices as in off-season.
Pickled items are preserved because of fermentation. In each and every country you will find at least few traditional food items preserved by pickling/ fermentation.
What is the secret behind the profits? They purchase grapes directly from farmers. For table varieties of fruits like seedless grapes, we have today higher prices. But for the processing we can use healthy but low priced fruits Further for grape we require coloured grapes which are cheaper than white seedless.
We can make juice from various fruits like Mango Pineapple, Grapes Lemons, tomatoes and many types of local specialties like Kokam, Jamun etc. Even Banana and Guava juice can be made. Banana, which is considered as poor man’s fruit in India is considered as rich man’s fancy in countries like Korea and Japan. We can make pulps out of he juices and use in off-season. Well, the technology is on its march going ahead. There are many possibilities.
Farmers can find many such opportunities studying food items, which were common in last generation. In those days, every family prepared food items in summer, which can be used throughout the year. Traditionally prepared these items were called as " Begamiche Padartha" (in Marathi) now the times have changed. Such products should be made in tiny scale industry but with an eye on cleanliness, quality and price. Entrepreneurs can also find new products by studying food habits of Adivasi and other such people who are forced by nature to preserve the food products and use these food products in rainy days. Such product has another U.S.P. (unique sells Proposals). There are no chemical preservatives used. So let us make old/ new products in a modern pack and earn some profit.
Agri.
Yellow Pages
Resources
(Post
Harvest)
