Opatodun, O. O., Ozumba, I. C., Adamade, C. A., and Nwosu, C.
Agro-Industrial Development and Extension Department, National Centre for Agricultural Mechanization (NCAM), PMB 1525, Ilorin, Kwara State.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13154950
ABSTRACT
Nigeria is the third largest exporter of ginger in the World after China and India. The production is gradually increasing recently in Nigeria in the main producing zones: Kaduna, Nasarawa, Sokoto, Zamfara, Akwa-Ibom, Oyo, Abia and Lagos States with Kaduna as the lead producer. Only about 10% of ginger grown in Nigeria is consumed fresh locally, while the remaining 90% is processed into dried form. About 20% of the dried ginger is consumed locally for various uses, while the remaining 80% is exported. Drying of the fresh product is important for storage during off season and serves as value addition for local or international trade. Slicing enhances this process, as well as saves the energy and time required for drying. Some efforts have been made to mechanize the slicing operation in order to aid the drying process in the past. NCAM as a Center saddled with the responsibility to mechanize Nigerian agriculture has been approached on a number of occasions to come into the mechanization drive of ginger value chain. Hence, the need to start with the development of a slicer with higher performance efficiency and capacity. An efficient motorized ginger slicer was designed, developed and evaluated with an average performance efficiency of 95.54% and throughput capacity of 76.37kg/h at a moisture content of 91.45%.
KEYWORDS: Development, performance efficiency, motorized, slicer.