Here is good news for coconut farmers. A robot capable of scaling coconut trees and plucking coconuts is ready. And it’s not merely a prototype. You will be able to purchase it within six months and put it to work.

A young engineer from Kozhikode, Ashinkrishna, has designed this robot, which has fulfilled the dream of countless farmers, whether they own two coconut trees or two thousand. His friends Gokul Krishnan, A K Gokul Krishna, Alosh Denny, Salman and Shuhaib are his partners. Together, they have named the robot Cocobot.

This startup, first featured by Karshakasree in its May 2023 issue, is likely still fresh in readers’ minds. Cocobot, which was then in the prototype stage, is now expected to hit the market in just a few months, says Ashin. Farmers are currently being shown demonstrations, and their suggestions will be incorporated before the product launch.

Ashin has unveiled the second-generation Cocobot Gen-2 with several unique features. He claims it is the first robot of its kind in the world that can be used for industrial-scale coconut harvesting. Weighing just 11 kg, it can be carried by a single person and takes only five seconds to attach to a tree. With no nuts, bolts, belts or chains, it clings to the trunk using a simple locking system. Flip a switch and the robot climbs a 20-metre tree in under a minute. Within the next 3-4 minutes, it cuts down ripe coconuts and leaf stalks. Harvesting a tree takes just five minutes.

Farmers can instruct the robot via its camera and a compact remote-controlled console. Ripe coconuts are identified on the console screen and the robotic arms, controlled by a joystick, cut them down. The arms can even make a small incision in the husk to check ripeness. Powered by battery, Cocobot can run for two hours on a full charge.

The soon-to-be-released third-generation Cocobot will rival even this. Fully automatic, it will climb trees, detect ripe coconuts and harvest them on its own. Driven by Artificial Intelligence, it is in the final stages of development. Cocobot is designed to work on trees of any height or width, with a locking system that prevents falls if it stops mid-climb.

Ashin and his team have addressed one of the biggest headaches for coconut farmers, who were reeling under timely harvesting and high labour costs. Cocobot will also be available for hire, opening entrepreneurial opportunities for those who cannot afford to buy one. Women and differently-abled individuals can also benefit from this model.

The youngsters have developed two business models. The first offers Cocobot services via a mobile app, where farmers pay per tree, similar to food delivery platforms like Zomato and Swiggy. Entrepreneurs in each panchayat will arrive armed with the robot and operate it for farmers. Coconut societies, task forces and Kudumbashree units can adopt this model. This can create 2–3 entrepreneurs per panchayat.

Large farmers and agro-companies with hundreds of trees can purchase Cocobots outright. Ashin guarantees that the investment can be recouped within two years. He said that inquiries are pouring in from within the country and abroad. Among these are a big business enterprise in Indonesia to coconut farmers from Sri Lanka and Philippines. Though designed for ripe coconuts, Cocobot can be customised for tender coconuts and spraying medicines. An Arecarobot for arecanut harvesting is also under consideration.

Ashin, son of businessman Ponnarassery Mani and Sujini of Poovattuparamba, Kozhikode, has been chasing innovative ideas since childhood. His talent was first noticed when he built a cinema theatre model in sixth standard. A portable air conditioner he developed in Plus Two won a prize at an international contest in China. Though eligible for the Indian Science Congress, it was overlooked on the ground that his innovation was not related to agriculture, which was the main theme of that year’s Science Congress. This left the then 17-year-old inconsolable at missing the chance to visit Rashtrapathi Bhavan, meet the President and Prime Minister and taking photographs with them.

The idea of a coconut-climbing robot came to him by accident. It took him only two years to develop it into a prototype. By January 2024, Cocobot successfully scaled a tree. Though it looks simple, Ashin says the technology is as complex as rocket science. He devoted himself full-time to the project, foregoing B.Tech and placement offers after completing polytechnic.

Ashin credits his parents and teachers for their support but proudly notes he never took a rupee from his parents for his startup. His initial capital came from Rs. 5,000 in savings and prize money from contests. Support of various agencies followed. In the initial stages, Nabard and Vadakara agri production company helped. He also received financial assistance from the Kerala Startup Mission and Maker Village, besides the agri business incubator of the Kerala Agriculture University and Kozhikode IMM. Finally came a fund of Rs. 25 lakh from the HCI Foundation of IIT Mandi, Himachal Pradesh.
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