Summary:
Along with developing the machine, the IIT faculty has also established a stubble management group comprising experts from various departments, who are working to set up a society that would forge a supply chain linking the farmers to the biogas plants, brick kilns, manure and hydrogen manufactures for ease of selling the stubble, Dr Sarkar said. This can be achieved with a single run of the tractor in the field, Dr Sarkar said.He said since the machine collect stubble, which would eventually pay for the operational costs, it would prove to be a most viable solution for the farmers.“There are many straw management machines already available for the farmers. Elaborating further, he said, as of now the farmers were spending an additional sum of Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 per acre for using the straw management system (SMS) mounted on the combine harvester and then they have to spend on diesel and labour to use harrow on the field to prepare it for next sowing. But it has not provided a complete solution to the farmers as the operational cost remains a concern.The machine that is being developed by the IIT Ropar would eliminate the need for SMS and then the harrow on the field and instead it will collect the stubble for the farmers that can be sold to biogas plants, bricks kilns or to the manure and hydrogen manufacturers. So, the research team at the IIT intended to come with a machine that can replace either the SMS or the bailer and also cut down the cost of operating the same,” he said.After harvesting the crop with a combine (which is not fitted with the SMS) the farmers will be able to remove and collect the stubble with a single attempt using this machine which would wipe off the cost of using the harrow five times in the field..