1. Product Description: Mechanical seed cleaners are used for seed clearing and grading in small scale operation. Seed cleaning and grading enhance the quality of the seeds and thereby the value of the seeds. In rural areas farmers will get more for their grains if they use these mechanical cleaners for cleaning and grading their marketable surplus.
2. Rationale: The Amhara Region is more than 90 percent agricultural; But farming is traditional where there is very little modernization in harvest and post-0harvest operations. Cleaning and grading of seeds especially using mechanical devices is almost unheard of Due to lack of cleaning operation, the quality of farm produces are considered as inferior because of the presence of foreign matters like dirt, dust, sand, etc with the grain. This problem can be rectified if mechanical seed cleaners are introduced and popularized in the Region. This project idea is one attempt for promoting the establishment of a plant that produces seed cleaning machines in the Region.
3. Market Potential: The size of the farming sector in the economy of the Amhara Region and the quantity of farm produce (grain) indicate the magnitude of the need for seed cleaning service and by extension for seed cleaning machines. At present, with the exception of a few machines installed by grain merchants or by grain mills operators in one or two urban areas, there are no seed cleaning machines in the whole Amhara Region. Whatever surplus grain produced and exported from the Region, it is exported before cleaning and grading which depresses its price. If seed cleaning machines are produced and distributed in the Region, there will be added-value to the Regions farm products and farmers will get higher prices.
4. Supply of Raw Materials: Semi-finished metallic products which will constitute seed cleaning machine will be imported or bought from domestic suppliers.
5. Process & Technology: The Process involves working on sheet metals such as shearing of edges, folding for body frame, angle bar structure work, drilling and screwing, turning of shafts, pulleys and machining of plumber, block bearing, assembly including welding, fastening with bolts and nuts and finally spray painting. More than ten types of machines are required. Some of them are central lathe, double ended bench grinder, precision center lathe, universal shaper, pillar drilling machine, sheet folding machine, are welding set, air compressor with spray painting, gas welding set, bench drilling machine and accessories.
6. Estimated Investment: For a plant that will produce 180-200 units of seed cleaning machines, estimated investment will be:
n Building 300 m2 at Birr 1500/m2= Birr 450,000
n Machinery = Birr 264,000
n Working Capital = Birr 141,000
= Birr 855,000
7. Benefits: Support the farming sector possibly increases the income of farmers, introduces new skills and technology--------.
8. Location: Debre Markos, Bahir Dar, Debre Birhan.