UGM researchers invent 'gama burner'

YOGYAKARTA: Researchers from Gadjah Mada University (UGM) have invented a new but simple technology to dry unhulled paddy, which they have called tungku gama (gama burner).

The researchers, Sutrisno, Suharnan and Umar Santosa, come from the university's School of Technical Engineering.

Team leader Sutrisno said the researchers were motivated by the difficulties many farmers in Yogyakarta faced in drying unhulled paddy during the rainy season.

The farmers must dry the paddy within six days after harvesting it, otherwise it will be damaged. Traditionally, the farmers dry the paddy in the sun.

"This is their problem. They often cannot dry it during the rainy season because there is so little sunshine," he said on Tuesday.

In order to overcome this problem, the researchers invented a drying room where hot gas flows over a set of paddy racks. He said the paddy could be dried much quicker than with the traditional sun-drying method.

Normally, it takes two days to dry paddy. He said that the process would not affect the taste of the rice.

Sutrisno said that the researchers were investigating the possibility of using the equipment to dry other agricultural products such as chili, onion, peanuts, corn and soybean.