28.05.2021 (www.theborneopost.com) - KUCHING: A group of researchers at the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB), led by Mohd Ramdhan Mohd Khalid have invented an efficient and cost-effective oil palm loose fruit collecting machine.

Director-General of MPOB Dr Ahmad Parveez Ghulam Kadir said, the invention is the practical solution to the oil palm industry which relies on manual method in collecting loose fruits and in dire need of a cost-effective mechanised loose fruit collection system.

The technology transforms the way of collecting oil palm loose fruits in the field from the traditional method or hand picking whereby the collected fruits are transferred into buckets or bags. This method is not only labour demanding and time-consuming but also tedious.

The newly-invented machine can be either attached to a single chassis prime mover or to be pulled by a mini tractor. Using cyclone concept, the loose fruits are sucked into a cylindrical shape of casing or barrel. With this kind of shape, it creates a cyclone atmosphere once the fruits are inside which contribute to minimum bruising to the skin of the fruits.

The machine is also capable of separating the collected loose fruits and the debris hence producing clean loose fruits at the bottom of the fruit barrel. As the fruits circulate the barrel/chamber, they will fall to the bottom of the barrel as they loss the energy while the lighter materials such as dried leaves will be sucked out from the system.

“The technology provides greater efficiency in the collection of loose fruits which generally have the highest oil content than most of the attached fruits in the bunches.

“The machine ensures no loose fruits are left in the field, resulting in higher income and profit of the plantations due to better oil extraction rate,” said Parveez.

“With the technology, loose fruits can now be sent to the mills with minimal contamination of debris. Hence, it ensures better quality and helps reduce milling problems associated with the current method of collection.”

Parveez revealed that MPOB has inked an agreement with RZtech Resources Sdn Bhd for the commercialisation of the technology which will significantly improve productivity and promote better ergonomic working conditions to workers. The company was also awarded a commercialisation fund through the Oil Palm Mechanisation Fund Programme.

Comprehensive research activity to develop the suitable and efficient technology was initiated back in 2012. Several concepts and prototypes were developed and tested by MPOB with the collaboration of the oil palm industry.

Trials revealed that in average, the newly-invented machine was capable of collecting loose fruits around 4.2 to 5.1 kilogram/minute or 1200 to 1500 kg per day with less than 15 percent debris. Fruits were not damaged or bruised during the operation.

The introduction of the loose fruit collecting machine to the oil palm industry will significantly improve worker’s productivity and promote better working condition to the workers which will lead to higher income.