USE OF TNAU TAPIOCA HARVESTER: SUCCESS STORY
M. Velmurugan*
Department of Floriculture and Landscape Architecture, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore (641003), Tamil Nadu, India
L. Pugalendhi
Horticultural College and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore (625601), Tamil Nadu, India
S. Manickam
Department of Crop Management, Agricultural College & Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Vazhavachanur (606753), Tamil Nadu, India
DOI: NIL
Keywords: Tapioca Harvester, Yield, Income, Harvesting
Abstract
Cassava or tapioca is an important tuber crop cultivated in Tamil Nadu.
For Tapioca cultivation, labour requirement is invasive during planting, weeding, fertilization and earthing up besides harvesting of the crop. During the harvesting men labours mandatorily required for manual pulling of tubers from the soil, cleaning and loading to the trucks. This results in the lesser income from the tapioca cultivation. Paucity of agricultural labourers particularly during harvesting period necessitates the use of farm implements and machineries for harvesting of tapioca. In order to circumvent these constraints, Tractor operated cassava harvester was released by Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore is suitable for harvesting in single row/two row planting system. This can be operated with 50 HP tractor. By using this harvester we can able to harvest 0.7 ha/day in single row planting and 1.0 ha/day in two planting system. Use of this harvester save labour, time and money and the cost incurred is Rs.32,000/-. Based on the impact on the use of harvester, Th.P.Saravanan has approached the research station for the use of tapioca harvester. By the use of harvester, the farmer has saved Rs.15,400/- when compared to the conventional harvesting (manual) method.
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