TAILIEUCHUNG - A low cost divergent type apple grader for Kashmiri apples

The state of Jammu and Kashmir has the distinction of producing best quality apples with highest proportion among all member states of Indian state. These apples are usually graded by manual labours of all age groups. The heavy reliance on manual labours and their non-availability at peak season has increased the overall cost of apple production. The existing mechanical graders are bulky, costly, imported and non-portable. | 2018 7 4 3561-3569 EXCELLENT PUBLISHERS International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences ISSN 2319-7706 Volume 7 Number 04 2018 Journal homepage http Original Research Article https A Low Cost Divergent Type Apple Grader for Kashmiri Apples Mohd. Muzamil Junaid Wani Aaliyah Mustafa Masrat Mohiuddin Aayat Mir Shahzad Faisal and Swati Nirbhavane Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology Shalimar J K-190025 India Corresponding author ABSTRACT Keywords Apple grader Mechanization Low-cost Motorized Efficiency Article Info Accepted 28 March 2018 Available Online 10 April 2018 The state of Jammu and Kashmir has the distinction of producing best quality apples with highest proportion among all member states of Indian state. These apples are usually graded by manual labours of all age groups. The heavy reliance on manual labours and their non-availability at peak season has increased the overall cost of apple production. The existing mechanical graders are bulky costly imported and non-portable. A low cost motorized portable apple grader was fabricated with feeding hopper conveying rollers flow reduction device main frame power transmission system and collecting trays. The apples were graded into four grades viz. Grade I- less than 50 mm Grade II - 50-60 mm Grade III - 60-70 and Grade IV above 70 mm. The apple grader has overall dimensions of 1460 mm x 842 mm with a cost of Rs. 12 000. The optimum conditions for the efficient working of apple grader occurred at roller spacing of 56-82 mm and hopper inclination of 30 degree resulting in a grading efficiency of at 100 rpm. The machine has a throughput capacity of 530 Kg per hour. The grader resulted in cost saving of Rs. 1782 -per tonne and 17 fold reduction in grading time in comparison to manual method of grading. The cost analysis of grader revealed that break-even point occurred at 424 hours

• Nông nghiệp
• Apple grader
• Low cost
• Kashmiri apples
• Low cost divergent type apple grader
• Imported and non portable