PASIR MAS, July 13 — What began as a practical solution to make plantation work easier has evolved into an innovative portable coconut husking tool created by a local entrepreneur, with the potential to be commercialised and marketed internationally.

Coconut plantation owner Che Adnan Che Kadir, 56, said he hopes his invention will benefit coconut growers, the coconut milk industry, small-scale entrepreneurs and the general public before eventually becoming a Malaysian-made product capable of competing in global markets.

“My goal is not merely to create a tool for my own use, but to develop a locally made product that can benefit coconut growers, the coconut milk industry, small entrepreneurs and the public.

“If it can be commercialised, I want this innovation to become a Malaysian-made product that is competitive at both the national and international levels,” he told Bernama recently.

He said the idea for the invention stemmed from concerns over workplace accidents involving workers using machetes, as well as the need to improve efficiency amid rising production of mature coconuts.

The first prototype was built using discarded metal, bearings, mechanical components (shafts) and recycled materials before being refined through welding work to produce a more effective husking blade.

“This innovation reduces the time needed to process a coconut from two to three minutes manually to about one minute. Skilled workers can complete the task in as little as 40 to 45 seconds.

“This means that within an hour, a worker can process between 50 and 60 coconuts, depending on their size and variety, without requiring additional manpower,” he said.

Che Adnan said the tool, which weighs about 3.5 kilogrammes, was designed to be portable so that coconuts can be husked directly in the plantation before being transported to buyers, helping to reduce transportation costs.

He added that the device also allows users to control the depth of the husking process so that part of the husk remains attached to the coconut, helping to preserve freshness and extend its shelf life according to wholesalers’ requirements.

The production cost of each unit is estimated at between RM150 and RM180, and the design will continue to be improved with features such as an electric motor system, a foot-operated switch, adjustable husking blades and a foldable design to enhance safety and ease of use.

So far, the prototype has been used by a coconut trader in Kampung Limau Purut and has attracted more than 20 enquiries from entrepreneurs interested in acquiring the tool, despite it still being at the prototype stage.

To realise his ambition of commercialising the invention, Che Adnan plans to seek assistance from the Malaysian Technology Development Corporation and the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry (MOSTI) to improve the design, secure intellectual property protection and register a patent.

He hopes support from the relevant agencies will help turn the innovation into a Malaysian-branded product capable of penetrating export markets while supporting the development of the downstream coconut industry and strengthening the country’s agri-food ecosystem. — Bernama