INTRODUCTION

Agriculture plays a vital role in the global economy, providing food, raw

materials, and employment for billions of people. With the world's population

projected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050 [1], agricultural processes must evolve to

meet the increasing demand for food and other agricultural products.

One crucial aspect of agricultural processing is the removal of the outer

husk from coconuts, known as dehusking. Dehusking is a critical step in coconut

processing, as it directly impacts the quality and marketability of coconut

products. The outer husk of the coconut is tough and fibrous, making it

challenging to remove manually.

Coconut (Cocos nucifera) is the only large plant of the genus Palmaceae.

Coconut is the fruit of the coconut tree and is a popular fruit in the tropics [1]. It

is known for its versatile uses and is often referred to as the "tree of life" due to

the various products and by-products derived from it [2]. An individual coconut

fruit is made up of an outer exocarp, a thick fibrous fruit coat known as husk,

underneath is the hard protective endocarp or shell which protects the edible

flesh. The size of nut varies from 147 to 196 mm in diameter and 245 to 294 mm

long [3].

Coconut is estimated to be found in more than 90 countries, with world

production concentrated in Asia and the Pacific. The Philippines, Indonesia,

for about 80% of the total area planted to coconuts worldwide [4]. Indonesia is

the world's leading coconut producer in 2022, with about 17.19 million metric

tons of coconuts produced. That year, the Philippines were the second largest

coconut producer in the world, accounting for around 14.93 million metric tons

of global production volume [5].

The coconut industry is an important sector of agriculture in the

Philippines. With 69 out of 82 provinces in the country producing coconut, the

industry has a total production area of 3.62 million hectares and provides an

estimate of 2.5 million farmers with employment. Moreover, the Philippines has

over 347 million fruit-bearing trees and a total production (mt) of 14.7 million

(nut terms) in 2018. As of 2015, domestic consumption of coconut in copra terms

was 0.835 million metric tons (Philippine Coconut Authority, 2018). The

Philippines also remains to be the second-largest producer of coconut among the

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), wherein it comprises almost

40% of ASEAN’s total coconut production (FAOStat, 2018). Major producers of

coconut in the Philippines include the regions of CALABARZON, Zamboanga

Peninsula, Davao, and Northern Mindanao.

However, coconut farmers face several challenges in the dehusking

process. Manual dehusking is labor-intensive, time-consuming, and poses safety

risks, especially for coconut farmers. It requires skilled labor and can lead to

inconsistencies in product quality, affecting market competitiveness and farmer

challenges, hindering the efficiency and productivity of coconut farming

operations.

Therefore, there is a pressing need for mechanized solutions to automate

the dehusking process, improve efficiency, and ensure consistent product quality.

Mechanized coconut dehusking machines offer a promising alternative to manual

methods, providing coconut farmers with the opportunity to streamline their

operations and increase productivity. By reducing labor requirements and

improving the quality of dehusked coconuts, mechanized solutions can contribute

to the sustainability and profitability of coconut farming ventures.

In this thesis, we aim to design, develop, and evaluate a mechanized

coconut dehusking machine. The machine will be designed to automate the

dehusking process, reducing labor requirements and improving efficiency. The

performance of the machine will be evaluated based on criteria such as dehusking

efficiency, labor savings, and product quality. The study will focus solely on the

dehusking of coconuts and will not cover other aspects of coconut processing.

The coconut industry is an important sector of agriculture in the Philippines. With 69 out
of 82 provinces in the country producing coconut, the industry has a total production area
of 3.62 million hectares and provides an estimate of 2.5 million farmers with
employment. Moreover, the Philippines has over 347 million fruit-bearing trees and a
total production (mt) of 14.7 million (nut terms) in 2018. As of 2015, domestic
consumption of coconut in copra terms was 0.835 million metric tons (Philippine
Coconut Authority, 2018). The Philippines also remains to be the second-largest producer
of coconut among the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), wherein it
comprises almost 40% of ASEAN’s total coconut production (FAOStat, 2018). Major
producers of coconut in the Philippines include the regions of CALABARZON,
Zamboanga Peninsula, Davao, and Northern Mindanao. Being referred to as the “tree of
life” due to its wide array of uses, coconut is mainly exported as products like virgin
coconut oil (VCO) and desiccated coconut. ([Link]
commodities/coconut/)

Coconut production in the country increased by 1.6% to 3.26 million metric tons in the
first quarter of 2023 compared to the same period in 2022, driven by increased awareness
of coconut benefits and growing demand for coconut-based products in major developed
countries, as per the Philippine Information Agency.
([Link]
revolutionizing-coconut-farming-in-the-philippines/)
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