A hold-on type power operated paddy thresher-cum-winnower was developed to accomplish the threshing and winnowing operation of paddy simultaneously instead of threshing by power operated hold-on type paddy thresher and winnowing by hand operated or power operated winnowers. The performance of the developed thresher-cum-winnower was compared with the existing methods of threshing i.e. power operated thresher followed by winnowing with power operated winnower, hand operated winnower and manual winnowing by kula (a bamboo made float basket like structure with one side open). Performance of newly developed thresher-cum-winnower was found better with respect to output, cleaning efficiency, grain purity and grain recovery. The output of the developed thresher-cum-winnower was 151.44 kg/hr with threshing efficiency of 98.97 per cent and cleaning efficiency of 90.14 percent. The cost of threshing and winnowing operation by the developed thresher-cum-winnower was observed to be Rs.9.89/q as compared to Rs.14.48/q, Rs.14.07/q and Rs.19.44/q in case of power thresher with power winnower, hand winnower and manual winnowing respectively.
