Development of green tender coconut splitter-cum-punching machine for tribal population of Bastar region of Chhattisgarh

Abstract

In India coconut cultivation is more concentrated along the coastal areas which contribute about 88% coconut cultivated area with 90% production. However, states like Chhattisgarh have emerged as non-traditional areas for the cultivation of coconut with a total of 1561 ha area and annual production are 12.6 million nuts. It leant that cutting of coconut tender is cumbersome process which involves trimming of head for sipping of coconut water followed by splitting to eat coconut meat. During cutting process, cultivator/ vendor has to apply force and carry the coconuts’ weight in hand which needs muscular effort. Similar, procedure is being preferred across the Bastar for coconut cutting with chopping knife having long blade (radius of curvature) and short handle. So, the challenges faced by the farmers of Bastar would remain same as traditional area. It is therefore, ergonomical evaluation of adapted traditional method in Bastar has been investigated. It is found that local sickle and knife is not suitable for tribals and it create callous in hand palm. Thus, a low-cost coconut splitting cum punching machine for green tender coconut is fabricated. The developed machine is able to punch the hole in tender coconut for sipping the water whereas it cuts the coconut into two halves to get coconut meat. The punching force observed to be about 178N whereas cutting of green tender demands 645N. The machine is fabricated using simple lever and spring mechanism. The developed machine found faster enough compared to existing traditional method and easily portable. Further, it was economical for tender coconut vendors. The use of machine reduced the drudgery of workers and hand injurious which intern save money of medical treatments as well as reduce the absentia of workers from the workplace.