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Since the past few years, farmers and agriculturalists have started recognising the benefits of coco peat as a growing medium. Recently, in the Udumalpet district of Tamil Nadu, many crops were grown using coco peat. Typically, Udumalpet is rain starved. A person visiting the place for the first time wouldn’t imagine rows of vegetables growing. However, Mr. R.K Raghunandan of Green Terra has made the impossible possible.
Mr. Raghunandan promotes coco peat as an alternative growing medium to soil. It is he who pioneered the use of coco peat in the country and in 1991; he exported it to UK and Australia as well. Coco peat is made using coco peat machines. There are a number of coco peat machinemanufacturers in India. Raghunandan grows tomatoes, green chillies, bell peppers and eggplant on a 10-cent land. The vegetables are cultivated in growbags.
In 1992, Mr. Raghunandan won the Commerce Ministry Award for pioneering work. He supplied coco peat to Sicilian farmers too to grow the famed Mediterranean veggies.
He said that Coco Peat Grow Bag Machine are usually used in greenhouses. This was the first time he was trying them in open air. He also mentioned that so far his experiment has been successful. He has 480 bags of vegetables on his land which he waters once a week for 10 minutes. Now that Mr. Raghunandan is fully convinced that coco peat method of growing vegetables outdoors works, he plans to persuade other farmers around him to use it. Using coco peat grow bagsmanufactured from coco peat machines supplied by coco peat processing machine, makes it easy to maintain and ensures crop success. Essar Engineer is the best Coir Pith Grow Bag Making Machine supplier
Mr. Raghunandan feels that the Coconut Food Processing Machine method of agriculture is ideal for small farmers who work with just an acre or so. In conventional agriculture, wedding takes up a big chunk of expenses. Coco peat is weed free and is low maintenance. And the yield is enormous.
One can have 4, 000 grow bags in each bag. And each bag can have three plants, which means 12, 000 saplings. The minimum yield is 24 tonnes of produce per crop cycle. The same thing when grown on soil will be approximately eight tonnes per crop cycle.
As Udumalpet is a drought prone region, Raghu dreams of promoting a mini-green revolution and organic vegetable cultivation in every home so that there is easy availability of fresh and toxin-free vegetables.
For those who want to grow organic vegetables in a sustainable and eco-friendly manner, coco peat is the answer. It is the best growing medium.
Set-up of new machines to boost coir production
Kerala is often referred to as the ‘land of coconuts’. Coconut production in Kerala always plays an important role in the state economy. Coconut is a wonder fruit which has full potential. Apart from coconut water, coconuts are also recognised for their meat, milk, oil, fiber, coir and peat. Recently, Kerala State Coir Pith Block making Machine Manufacturing Company, a government initiative, decided to increase the distribution of coir fibre extracting machinery. The machines are expected to help boost coir production.
As per reports, a large number of coirextraction machineswill be installed. Due to inefficient machinery, Kerala had started depending on other states for processed husk. The situation would undergo a change once modern machines were introduced into the production process. The machines offered by coir extraction machine manufacturers would cater to the demand from coir making units in the state. According to estimates, the coir manufacturing units in the State need 1.25 lakh tonne processed husk.
The state of Kerala produces 600 crore coconuts annually, but the coir manufacturing industry is not able to procure husk of at least half of them. Apart from installing coir machinery, the state also plans to install other coconut processing machinery.
Soon, a scheme for procurement of husk with the help of employees of coir manufacturing units will be introduced.
The machinery has been developed with the help of various agencies including the National Coir Research and Management Institute (NCRMI). The institute has been conducting studies for the development of new coir technologies.
Meanwhile, various trade unions and owners of small units in the coir sector are planning to launch revised rates for coir products as well as emoluments for the workers.
Apart from Kerala, Goa too has been installingcoconutprocessing machines. The extraction of virgin coconut oil Process Machinery has got a makeover worldwide. Owing to its popularity and health benefits, the state plans to establish a special facility to produce the oil.
Apart from Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO), the production process will al
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