Bio-mass rice cooker from NERD:

A solution to power crisis

Manjari PEIRIS

The National Engineering and Research Institute (NERD) functioning under the Science and Technology Ministry has introduced a bio-mass rice cooker invented and developed by them.

This rice cooker which the NERD expects to price between Rs. 2,500 and Rs. 3,000 has the capacity of cooking one Kilo of rice using two coconut shells.

It would take about 40 minutes to cook the rice while no overcooking or burning at the bottom or blackening of the rice pan will happen.

It can keep the rice warm for eight hours. Three litres of water can be boiled using this rice cooker. In addition cereals, yam, manioc and potatoes can be boiled or cooked.

Using this cooker will help avoid environmental hazards caused when coconut shells are thrown out. NERD expects to transfer this technology to a suitable entrepreneur.