Beijing, Sep 5 (IANS): A university in China has started a process to churn out a required 5,000 kg of rice daily to feed 30,000 students using minimal manpower.

Tianjin Normal University has installed an automatic rice production line which has reduced the process of preparing the cafeteria's daily rice needs down to just two cooks, Xinhua reported.

"Actually, we only need two people to keep the production line working," said Li Baoyu, chairman of the Tianjin Dieqiao Kitchen Equipment Co. Ltd., the manufacturer of the rice production line.

The domestically designed production line consists of a rice washing machine, a rice soaking machine, a rice cooking machine, conveyor belts and rice containers, Li said.

The whole process includes washing, soaking, boiling, loosening and heat preserving the rice, he said, adding that the line can cook 1,500 kg of rice in an hour.

The production line can provide the daily rice need for the entire university in just four hours, says Hui Zengyu, director of the canteen at Tianjin Normal University.

Previously, the canteen employed 20 cooks to operate 20 standard rice cookers.

The new production line has also cut power costs.