Design and development of a machine for selective plucking of tea or similar items

Abstract

First stage of Tea manufacture is plucking. This may be done in two ways, "Pluck and select" OR "Select and pluck - called selective plucking". First method can use simple machines, such as grass trimmers even, and impurities such as stork, matured leaves etc are removed later. This method is suitable only for lower grades of tea and also causes damage to plant and reduces growth and yield. While first method is used in certain countries such a Kenya, Japan etc., Sri Lanka being the HIGHEST quality tea manufacturer in the world, invariably use "Selective plucking" due to its many advantages. However this at present is a completely manual process and is responsible for a substantial portion of the cost of tea manufacture. Problem is further aggravated by the pluckers leaving this job due to strenuous nature and the low social status attached to it. Plantation sector thus is now finding it very difficult to retain pluckers, particularly with younger generation, and payment rates are also continuously increasing.