The Mobile Subjee Cooler is an efficient, eco-friendly and affordable solution to reduce post-harvest losses. The innovation, incubated by RuTAG at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, is empowering the farming community.
Did you know that nearly 30 percent of fruits, vegetables, and flowers that are harvested are lost at the farm gate itself? To solve the problem of post-harvest losses, three alumni of IIT Bombay have come up with an innovative Mobile Subjee Cooler through their startup Rucart. They were mentored by Professor Satish Agnihotri through the Rural Technology Action Group (RuTAG).
The Subjee Cooler, an eco-friendly and affordable solution, has no recurring costs and serves the dual purpose of storage as well as ripening of fruits. Rucart, which has patented its invention, has installed over 1,300 Mobile Subjee Coolers across 13 states in India. The technology has significant potential for dissemination in areas where vegetable cultivation is extensive.
On average, the product has been successful in cutting down wastage of fruits and vegetables by 17-22 percent. It reduces distress sales and also increases farm earnings by 30-50 percent. Moreover, it has resulted in an annual saving of carbon dioxide output by six million kg.
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The Mobile Subjee Cooler has a capacity to store 100 kg and consists of eight crates and one funnel. It weighs around 120 kg and is fairly compact, measuring one metre in length, one metre in width, and 0.75 metre in height. It also comes in a 50 kg variant.
The innovation is also an improvement over existing cold storage innovations, which are accompanied by recurring maintenance costs. The Mobile Subjee Cooler, which can store flowers, mushrooms, fruits and vegetables doesn’t need any external source to operate, such as electricity, diesel, petrol, kerosene or even solar energy. It also works across all agro-climatic zones.
It keeps vegetables such as okra, cabbage, tomatoes and chilies fresh for five to seven days, leafy vegetables (like spinach, coriander and fenugreek) fresh for three to four days, mushrooms for two to three days, and flowers from four hours to eight days. The time frame depends on the variety being stored. It also ripens fruits naturally without any chemicals, such as bananas, custard apples, papayas, jackfruits, and watermelons.
The cooler consists of a double-layered wall. Water is poured into the gap between these layers, which contains fillers to enhance evaporation. The evaporation process draws latent heat from the inner wall, effectively reducing the internal temperature.
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Heat is transferred from the produce via conduction, convection and radiation, creating a natural cooling environment. The innovation provides a mobile storage solution designed to maintain temperatures lower than the ambient environment.
It is easy to install, operate and maintain. While the 100 kg capacity cooler requires 20 litres of water per day, the 50 kg one can run on just 12 litres of water per day. The cooler and crates need to be cleaned with warm water or regular water once every eight to 10 days. It can be installed at the farm gates, retail stores, or even in the backyard of a house.
Its 100 kg variant costs Rs 50,000 and the 50 kg variant costs Rs 35,400. Transportation costs are at actuals.
The Mobile Subjee Cooler aligns with multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including no poverty, zero hunger, affordable and clean energy, responsible consumption and production, and climate action.
Its impact spans several thematic areas such as improving livelihoods, advancing agricultural technologies, promoting energy efficiency, reducing waste, enabling efficient storage, and lowering carbon footprints, making it a holistic solution for rural sustainability challenges.
The Mobile Subjee Cooler is an example of how grassroots innovations can address critical rural challenges, improve livelihoods, and contribute to sustainable development.
RuTAG is an initiative of the office of the Principal Scientific Advisor to the government of India that started in 2004. It was conceptualised as a mechanism to provide higher levels of science and technology interventions and support for rural areas.
Under this initiative the interventions are designed to be primarily demand-driven, focussing on bridging technology gaps at the grassroots level, upgrading technology and providing training and demonstrations through innovative projects.
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The lead photo represents fresh vegetables that have not spoiled at the farm gate itself. The Mobile Subjee Cooler, an innovation that was created by alumni of IIT Bombay, can help achieve that. (Photo courtesy of Pixabay)
