The Indian economy is heavily dependent on the agricultural sector, courtesy of its vast landscape and fertile land. Rice is one of the main crops grown on a large scale in the country. India is distinguished by being the second largest producer of rice in the world after China and the fourth largest exporter. Rice stands out as the third most cultivated crop on the planet after corn and wheat respectively. The figures speak for themselves and for the same reason, the rice mill is one of the most lucrative business ventures in the Indian subcontinent as well as the entire world.
Technological developments have come a long way in the evolution of rice mill machinery. Today, there are different types of grinding machinery available for different but specific purposes. The machines do what they are programmed to do, but these mills are more than just machines. Rigorous and comprehensive planning is needed to take care of the logistics involved in the process of installing an efficient plant.
Let’s take a look at the installation process of such a mill:
Acquire suitable land:
First things first, you need a piece of land that is easily accessible and well connected. The disputed land must be easily accessible by various modes of transportation. The proximity to the market and raw materials (cultivation fields) is an additional advantage, as it helps to reduce transportation costs.
Finishing orientation and placement of machinery:
Good orientation would provide a distinctive character to the different sections of the factory, still allowing it to function together as a whole. The layout should be designed well enough to facilitate the input operations included in the rice milling process. A special emphasis on the required number of units and inventory in a particular section would help to cope with the workload at crucial times. The different sections of the rice mill should be connected with good quality roads to facilitate transportation.
Ensure an adequate supply of water and electricity.:
The quintessential supplies, such as water and electricity, are essential to set up any factory, let alone rice mills. All the machines are powered by electricity and the water helps regulate the production of rice at various stages of the process.
storage planning:
Where there is production, there is storage. The final product must be stored in a suitable place that ensures its quality and longevity. Ideal storage is not affected by external factors such as precipitation, humidity, temperature and pressure.
Use of by-products and waste disposal:
By-products improve profits and therefore contribute to the efficiency of the entire process. As far as rice mills are concerned, the husk and certain types of oils are the by-products that are obtained along with the final product. After the yield, anything that remains apart from the by-products is waste and must be completely removed to facilitate rice mill operations.
Checking and quality control:
Rice, as food, is prone to pests if left unattended at any stage of production. Unwanted adulteration can creep into various stages of rice milling and can lower the quality of the final product. Therefore, regular quality control is essential for any rice milling setup. All precautionary measures should be practiced to ensure good quality control.