Innovation: First automated potato cleaning plant installed

Facility opens up possibilities of export to Russia.

KARACHI: Conceding to Russia’s terms of importing potatoes from Pakistan, a private sector company has installed the country’s first automated potato cleaning plant in Karachi. The locally-assembled plant is estimated to have cost around Rs5 million and has the ability to grade potatoes based on their size.

Previously, washing plants were used for the purpose, though the market for those potatoes was limited because exposure to water reduced life of the vegetable. With the help of the plant, Pakistan will have guaranteed access to the large Russian market, leading to a significant increase in the export volume, which is currently 0.8 million tonnes per year.

Since the pant can clean up to five tons of potatoes in one hour, it has opened up the possibility of earning up to $80 extra per ton of potatoes exported because of savings in time and labour.

While talking to The Express Tribune, CEO of Chase International, the company that set up the plant, and former chairman of the All Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Exporters Association Abdul Wahid said that Pakistan has an annual surplus of 1.3 million tons in potato production. This is usually exported to Sri Lanka and Malaysia but most other countries refuse to import the potatoes because of the excessive amount dust on the surface of the produce.

Russia, however, has expressed an interest in importing potatoes now that the cleaning plant has been set up.

According to Wahid, cleaning potatoes is a time-consuming process, requiring up to 100 workers for a 30-ton batch. The plant, which can also clean onions, will allow the removal of up to 80 percent dust particles, while significantly reducing wastage.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 13^th, 2011.