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Farm Machinery Research Centre

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FMRC is vested with the responsibility of testing and implements and to develop appropriate technologies to suit local conditions. The prime objective of FMRC is to introduce effective agricultural mechanization technologies compatible with the socio-economic and field condition prevailing in various regions of country. In order to achieve this objective FMRC is carrying out activities in the following areas.

Location
Farm Mechanization Research Centre (FMRC), Maha Illuppallama is an Iinstitute of the Department of Agriculture located within the agricultural complex, Maha Illuppallama about 35 km South West of Anuradhapura. It is a Government organization setup to promote appropriate farm mechanization in Sri Lanka.

Vision
To become the center of excellence in the country by introducing appropriate farm mechanization technology to reduce cost of production and improve quality and quantity of agricultural production.

Mission
Promote cost effective Mechanization technology in order to increase quality and quantity of Agricultural products.

Objectives
1.To create production efficiency by mechanizing areas affected by labor shortage in the Farm and processing.

2.To attract youth to agricultural enterprises.

3.To generate agro-based employment opportunities by production and utilization of Agricultural machines.

4.To Implement appropriate Agricultural machineries to local conditions and production methods and ensuring continuous supply to market through an efficient production processes.

The Functions of FMRC

• Identify contrains and boottlenecks of agricultural mechanization in the various regions and for differenet crops grown by Sri Lanakan farmers.

• Select and test promising implements with regard to their constructions, their functions, safety, economic and sociological consequence.
• Modify and adapt promising implements to suit local conditions.
• Test adapted implements under farmers' conditions
• Prepare technical drawings, test repports and operators' instructions for the implements found suitable for Sri lankan conditions.
• Engage in industrial extension activities to promote local production by large and small scale manufacturers.
• Engage in agricultural extension activities through the extension services of the Department of Agriculture to familarize farmers with the new improved techniques.
• FMRC is the National institute for Regional Net Work for Agricultural Machinery of ESCAPE and the secretariate for the National Farm Mechanization Commitie.

To accomplish the above functions, FMRC has seven sections through which all implements have to pass during their development process.

1. Research & Development Section (R & D) design & prototype manufacturing.
2. Industrial Extension Section - Train & assist local manufacturers in production of agricultural implements.
3. Testing & Evaluation Section -Testing of Farm Machineries to issue test reports indicating its condition and results of adaptability to Sri Lankan field environment /conditions.
4. Agricultural Extension Section - Familiarize farmers with the new technology through the demonstrations, exhibitions etc.
5. Irrigation & Water Management Section - Carry out research activities and studies to reduce the initial investment cost on irrigation systems and development and design of adaptive, cost effective and appropriate irrigation systems to manage irrigation available water resources.
6. Adaptive Research Section - Carry out adaptation trails at different locations to ascertain developed & modified agricultural machineries suitability and performance on different soil conditions, field size and moisture conditions.
7. Analysis Section - Evaluation of the Impact and the effect of machineries on both human and plants and Issuing reports indicating types of damages caused by each machinery to environment and carry out experiments on Bio fuels and ways to manage wastes in Sri lanka.

Research & Development Section (R & D)

Machinery Available for Strengthening the Extension Activities

Sri Lanka being a developing country there is a series of technologies that are in the emerging stage. This is a situation where thorough extension methodologies on industrial and agricultural extension must be adopted. Through the experience at FMRC it is revealed that the manufacturers are reluctant to invest on producing new machinery as they are not sure of whether the farmers would taken up the new technology. On the other hand farmers are doubtful whether they could be able to derive the expected benefits from the new technology. In order to bring this gap closer the extension activities must be further strengthened.

Large-scale agricultural machinery manufacturers produced thousands of sprayers, water pumps, paddy threshers, trailers etc for local market. Many of these manufacturers received FMRC testing and advisory services for their quality improvements. Under the technical assistance from FMRC the local manufacturers produced a series of newly designed machinery. They are high capacity threshers, multi-crop threshers, lowland seeders, cono-weeders, manual operated Tran planters and pedal operated threshers. Many local machinery manufacturers were also trained to manufacture FMRC designed machines.

Industrial Extension Section
Conduct work shop demonstrations and field trials to give knowledge to local farm machinery producers and fill the gap between the farmers and Agricultural machinery producers by organizing training programs for producers , farmers and students

Testing & Evaluation Section

Testing of Farm Machinery
As far as the mechanization is concerned the machinery testing and certifying service becomes indispensable in order to achieve the objectives outlined in the policies. The field efficiency, work capacity, durability, availability of uninterrupted after sale services, continuous supply of spare parts and above all the selling price of the machinery are crucial from the farmer's point of view.

To confirm the manufacturers specifications the farm machinery testing service carries out laboratory, performance and endurance test comprehensively and issues test reports. Nearly 30% of the machines brought to FMRC for testing had been found to be un-suitable for Sri Lankan conditions.

Following machines were tested during the year 2006

• One two wheel tractor from India
• Four two wheel tractor from china
• Two hand sprayers, one from Thaiwan and one from Thailand
• One combine harvester from China
• Four water pump from India
• Two combine threshers

Four Wheel Tractors

Testing Charge	Rs.
Diesel	200 l
Lubricating Oil	5 l
Grease	1 kg
Gear Oil	5 l

Two Wheel Tractors

Testing Charge	Rs.
Diesel	150 l
Lubricating Oil	5 l
Grease	250 g
Gear Oil	2 l

Power Sprayer - Duster

Testing Charge	Rs.
Petrol	20 l
Lubricating Oil	1 l
Wheat Flour	25 kg

Hand Sprayer - Duster

Testing Charge

Rs.

Testing Charge	Rs.
Kerosene	30 l
Petrol	5 l
Lubricating Oil	5 l

Engine Operated Paddy Thresher (Diesel)

Testing Charge	Rs.
Petrol	200 l
Lubricating Oil	10 l
Grease	1 kg

Engine Operated Paddy Thresher (Petrol)

Testing Charge	Rs.
Kerosene	100 l
Lubricating Oil	10 l
Petrol	10 l
Grease	1 kg

Manually Operated Thresher

Testing Charge	Rs.
Grease	250 l

Reaper - Harvester (Diesel)

Testing Charge	Rs.
Diesel	100 l
Lubricating Oil	10 l
Grease	1 kg

Testing Charge	Rs.
Kerosene	100 l
Petrol	5 l
Lubricating	5 l
Grease	1 kg

Four Wheel Tractor Driven Implements

Testing Charge	Rs.
Diesel	100 l
Lubricating	10 l
Grease	1 kg

Two Wheel Tractor Driven Implements

Testing Charge	Rs.
Diesel	50 l
Lubricating	5 l
Grease	500 g

Manual Tools

Testing Charge

Rs.

Agricultural Extension Section
Mainly carry out technology transfer activities and organize demonstrations, field trials and exhibitions showing the major benefits of agricultural machinery applications in the fields and giving knowledge to cut down the cost of production and how to increase the yield by using appropriate machineries.

Irrigation & Water Management Section
Development of micro irrigation systems to increase the productivity of crops and make optimum use of available water.

Adaptive Research Section
Developed machines have been undergone on adaptation trials at different locations in order to ascertain their suitability and performance on different soil conditions, field size and moisture conditions etc.

Analysis Section

Activities being carried out.

• Issuing reports indicating damages to plants caused by machineries.
• Experiments on proper management of liquid waste and solid waste
• Potential and Scope for bio-fuels in Sri Lanka
• Preliminary studies to develop a mechanical device to separate hard seeds from green grams