Nashik (Maharashtra): High rate of spoilage of onions stored in godowns causes huge financial losses to the farmers. To prevent it, Nashik-based startup 'Godaam Innovations' headed by Kalyani Shinde has introduced a technology to convert traditional warehouses to smart warehouses which can detect rotting in onions.
Largest Onion Market in Asia
Nashik has the largest onion market in Asia. About 40 per cent of onion production in India is from Nashik district alone. Millions of onions are exported from Nashik to the international markets. If there is no price in the market, the farmer stores his onion in huts and godowns. Climate change degrades 40 per cent of onions stored in sieves, causing large financial losses to farmers. Kalyani Shinde along with her team in Godaam Innovations developed a technology to convert traditional storage spaces into smart storages.
Who is Kalyani Shinde?
Kalyani Shinde hails from an agrarian family in Lasalgaon, Nashik district. She holds a degree in Computer Engineering. In her final year of engineering, she was selected for Tata Consultancy Services' incubation centre 'Digital Impact Square' in Nashik. She conducted researches into supply-demand issues of onion which has demand in international markets.
Reasons for onion spoilage
Nashik district produces a large number of summer onions in March, April and May. Onions are sold in the market at good prices. If the price is not good, this onion is stored in a sieve. Most of these onions start getting spoilt due to lack of humidity and proper temperature. Farmers realize too late that onions are starting to get spoilt. Until then, a large quantity of onion is spoiled.
The machine gives information on the smell of bad onions
If a typical farmer stores 10 tonnes of onions in a sieve of which 30 to 40 per cent is spoiled. The technology developed by Godaam Innovations detects gases emitted during the decomposition of the stored onions. The farmers are immediately alerted upon detection.
Moved from startup
Kalyani received a grant of Rs 3 lakh from the Director of Onion and Garlic Research Center in 2018 after coming up with the idea of 'Warehouse Innovations'. She also received Rs 2 lakh from Unlimited India. From this, she successfully implemented her concept at various godowns. Kalyani said that next year, the Unit of Warehouse Innovations will be set up in 35 onion huts.
Also Read: Karnataka farmers destroy onion crop ravaged by disease
