1. Product Description: Starch is a polymeric carbohydrate. It is found abundantly in the natural world where the main sources are plants. Among the plants which produce starch, only a limited number of species can be used for industrial manufacture of starch. Corn, wheat, rice, potato and casava are the main sources of starch. Starch is used in the textile industry as a sizing agent. It is also used in the paper, beer, sugar, etc—; manufacturing industries.
2. Rationale: The Amhara Region is one of the regions in the country where starch producing cereals are produced in large quantities. In fact more than 35 percent of the country’s cereals production comes from the Amhara Region. On the other hand, even at this stage of development there are starch consuming industries like textile and beverages. These and other starch consuming industries will also expand in the future increasing the demand for industrial starch. Currently, there are no industrial starch producing factories in the country even though there are factories which need starch as inputs for their operations. It is ironic that there is demand for starch and also there are enough raw materials in the country but the product is not produced in the country but it is imported. The production of starch can also support the development of parts of the pharmaceutical industry such as the production of glucose, bandages and gauze. Given these factors, production of starch for industrial adhesives and for other purposes should be promoted by the concerned authorities of the Region. This project idea is the start of this promotion.
3. Market Potential: The starch requirement of the textile, sugar, beverages and other industries as well the demand for industrial adhesives will definitely absorb the production of a medium scale starch producing plant. Industrial adhesives from starch are also used in the packaging and wood works industries.
4. Source of Raw Material: Domestic i.e. local production of cereals, potatoes, etc.
5. Process & Technology: If we take maize as a source of starch, we can illustrate the technological process of producing industrial adhesives from maize starch. The maize kernel is composed of five parts. The hull of the thin outer skin is fiber. Next to the hull is a shallow layer of glutten- a substance rich in protein. Inside the layer of glutten, a mixture of starch and glutten bulges towards the center filling the glutten. The germ is level with the float front of the kernel. The germ contains protein, most of the oil and a large share of the minerals. The process of extracting starch and other components starts with separating the constituents of the seed. The germs is washed in hexagonal copper or monel metal cloth covered with reels in which it is freed of adhering starch. Finally starch is derived on trays on kiln dryers, or in continuous mechanical dryer. Main plant and machinery can be divided into three main sections – weighing section, belt bucket conveyer and steeping section. Machines in weighing section include truck weighing scale, intermediate scale, washing vates. Machine in the belt bucket conveyor section include screen vibrating, sieving and blasting machine, magnetic separators. Machines in the steeping section include automatic weighing scales, hydraulic conveyor, steeping tanks, vibrating screen, crushers, germ separator, washing tables, dewating machine, dryer and sulphur burner.
6. Estimated Investment: For a plant which will produce 20 tons per day, the estimated investment is:
n Building/ 2500m2 at Birr 3000/m2 = Birr 7,500,000
n Machinery = Birr 3,200,000
n Working Capital = Birr 500,000
11,200,000
7. Benefits: Promotes the development of other industries, utilizes local raw material-cereals which in turn will stimulate the their production, introduces new skills and technology to the Region.
8. Location: Urban centers close to cereals growing localities.