Practice Name:

Almond-Nut Cracker

Details
Category	Crop Protection and Disease Management
Crop	Almond
Crop Family	Rosaceae
Scientific Name	Prunus dulcis
Vernacular Name	Badam
Scout	HBN
Ingredients	One-inch gauge plate, big and small sheafs, one-inch axle, one-and-a-half inch angle, small belts
Details of Innovation	Almond is a hard nut to crack. Neither does the dry fruit shell easily. It becomes difficult and hard to shell almonds by hand for hours to prepare it for the market. Ranikbhai Bavkubhai Dhadal's machine specifically meets the requirements. It shells the almonds and prepares the nuts for the market. Because of fewer trade inquiries, Ranikbhai manufactures the machine only on order and delivers it in a fortnight. There is demand for the machine only when there is bumper crop of almonds or a dry fruit merchant wants it to fulfil his obligations. Six machines have been supplied to a Mumbai merchant. The almond husk machine is such that it automatically peels the cover and separates nut of Indian almond (Terminalia catappa) automatically. The machine throws out by air pressure of fan the nut which is collected in nets according to their size and grade. It peels the upper part, breaks the shell and separates the almond according to its grade. The shell is automatically thrown out. The shelling work is completed in no time. The shelling machine has been developed by Ranikbhai at his own initiative. He has been manufacturing it for the last ten years. Since there is no almond plantation in the Gujarat area, there is no market for the machine in the state. This machine is useful only for those areas where there are large plantations of Indian almond (Terminalia catappa) crop. Big merchants may also purchase it. But as the cost of this machine is prohibitive small merchants cannot afford it.

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Innovator / Knowledge Provider	Ranigbhai Bahvkubhai Dhandal
District	Rajkot
KVK District	Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Junagadh Agricultural University, Dry Farming Research Station, Targhadia (RAJKOT)-360003
Address	Jasdan, post jasdan place near bus stand,
Languages Spoken
Vocation	Farming
State	Gujarat
PIN Code	360050

PAS_1	“The productivity efficiency (7.0 g−1cm2 TCSA) was recorded in full moon water harvesting system + plastic mulch in almond under the rainfed conditions of Kashmir valley.” http://www.indianjournals.com/ijor.aspx?target=ijor:ijsc&volume=44&issue=1&article=010
PAS_2	“Results clearly indicated that maximum cross-sectional area of tree, canopy volume, nut number, nut yield/tree, nut weight, nut size, kernel weight, kernel size, shell thickness and shell weight were recorded in lower plant density but had negative correlation.” http://www.indianjournals.com/ijor.aspx?target=ijor:ijh&volume=69&issue=3&article=006
Agro Ecological Zone	Agro Ecological Sub Region (ICAR) Western Plain, Kachchh And Part Of Kathiawar Peninsula, Hot Arid Eco-Region (2.4) , Agro-Climatic Zone (Planning Commission) Gujarat Plains & Hills Region (XIII) , Agro Climatic Zone (NARP) North Saurashtra (GJ-6)
Other Community Practices
Practice ID	DTP0010000001131
Reference	HBN database
Annotation ID	GIAN/GAVL/221
State	Gujarat
PIN Code	360050