Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (MS)

Mangaluru, Dec 18: Agricultural researcher of Bantwal Komale Ganapathi Bhat, who invented a tree bike to climb arecanut tree, has developed a similar machine to climb coconut trees.

The main commercial crop of coastal region is arecanut. However, there are lack of labourers to climb the tree. So Ganapati Bhat, a progressive farmer who has studied BSc invented a tree bike to climb arecanut tree in 2019. So far more than 700 arecanut tree bikes have been sold. The price of this 54 kg weighing tree bike is Rs 85,000. The bike that was the brainchild of Ganapati Bhat is commercially produced by Mebens Engineering Solutions of Shivamogga.

Many agriculturists demanded Ganapathi Bhat to invent a similar tree bike to climb coconut trees. The same bike cannot be used as the coconut trees are slightly bent. So the one developed to climb arecanut tree does not work on coconut tree. Now Ganapathi Bhat has finally invented a tree bike to climb coconut tree as well.

The coconut tree bike requires petrol to run. One liter of petrol is enough to climb and pluck coconuts from 70 trees. Ganapathi Bhat demonstrates the way of using the machine in his farm. The machine was invented just 10 days ago.

According to Ganapathi Bhat he has got demand for the tree bike from Mandya, Kerala and Tamil Nadu where coconut is grown in plenty. Already 20 machines have been sold. Ganapathi Bhat has given this machine to the coconut research centre of Kerala also.

Ganapathi Bhat has the intention of inventing a two-in-one tree bike that can be used for both arecanut trees and coconut trees.

The tree bicycle invented by Ganapathi Bhat has created a world record as it can climb 80 feet within 25 seconds. He has given demonstration and exhibition of the machine at Campco and agricultural exhibitions. Ganapathi Bhat has got many awards including ‘Super Star Farmer.’