Abstract: Potato starch a promising sizing material, is unable to get its proper concentration in the textile industry because Bangladesh uses only a few amounts of imported potato starch for delicate yarn sizing which is costly.
But Bangladesh can easily produce good quality potato starch domestically for the textile weaving sector in order to create a new market and replace the existing starch market.
As well as by using domestically produced starch, a new ray of hope and happiness can be created for the rural potato farmers. This can be one of simplest ways of making surplus potatoes more value-added.
Introduction: World’s 2nd largest textile producing country (Latifee, 2016) is quite lagging in woven production and export. Only 35% of export oriented woven fabrics are produced in Bangladesh and the rest of the fabrics are imported. (Subrata, 2013)
An effective sizing process can improve the scenario as sizing is known as the heart of weaving.
Nowadays potato starch is getting more popularity as an effective sizing material worldwide. The global potato starch market is anticipated to reach a volume of 4.20 Million Tons by 2022, growing at a CAGR of nearly 3% during 2017-2022. (DUBLIN, Jan. 4, 2018)
According to the statistical data, Bangladesh already imported the high amount of starches and residue of starches till June 2018 (the fiscal year 2017-18).
| Product | Trade Value (thousands) | Share (%) | Growth (% 5yr) |
| Starches | 6,814 | 0.02 | 334.56 |
| Residues of Starch | 852 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| *Top Products Imported by Bangladesh, June 2018 | |||
Though Bangladesh is also exporting some raw potatoes and starch but the total amount are not significant enough to impact on total economy. Till 2018 (fiscal year 2017-18), import statistics can be like:
| Product | Trade Value (thousands) | Share (%) | Growth (% 5yr) |
| Potatoes | 1,596 | 0.00 | 963.64 |
| Starches | 41 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| *Top Products Exported by Bangladesh, June 2018 | |||
Using locally potato starch as a sizing material can be a very good replacement according to the perspective of Bangladesh. The rate of potato production is quite higher in Bangladesh.
Each and every year huge amount of potato remains unsold and became wastage. These potatoes can be used effectively for starch production.
In the 2017 fiscal year the total amount of potato produced was 10 million tons (Bangladesh expects huge potato surplus due to increased supply and sluggish demand, 2017) where total demand of potato was around 7 million tons. (Zaman, 2017)
So, 3 million tons of potatoes of 44 variety remains as the surplus amount (Potato Production in Bangladesh hits an all-time high, 2016). The scenario of economic status related to potato production in 2017 can be like:
| Table 2.1: Calculation of loss related to potato wastage | |||
| Reason | Problem | Quantity of Potato |
Economic value |
| Surplus of Potato |
Wastage | 2 Million Ton |
More Than 2000 Crore BDT (If Per Kg Potato is 10 BDT) |
| Surplus/ Greedy Mindset of Middleman’s |
Price of potato falls down in storage gate. |
3.3 Million Ton |
Around 1360 Crore BDT (If loss per Kg Potato is 5TK in storage gate) |
| Overall Loss: More Than 3300 Crore BDT | |||
2.1. Objectives of the study
- To extract starch from Bangladeshi potatoes
- To analyze its performance as a standard natural sizing chemical.
- To analyze the feasibility of potato starch as a sizing material
- To analyze sizing market scenario
The project has five parts. Firstly the present market analysis. Then, the process or methodology of execution will be described. Next, the properties of potato starch as a size material will be explained.
Then the feasibility comes forward and the paper concludes with the further scopes and possibility description.
3. The methodology of the Project:
- The whole project can be divided into 4 steps. Initial idea generation,
- Product development
- Experimental data analysis
- Feasibility analysis
3.1. Intial idea generation
Bangladesh is wasting potato drastically from last several years as because of its surplus production. Potato farmers become frustated and loss their interest in potato production. Sometimes they are planning to keeping their land vacant instead of potato cultivation. If this project works then it can ensure the happiness of the rural farmers as potato will get its market back and on the other hand woven manufacturers will also bacome happy as they can use their local potato starch on low price.
3.2. Product development
Procedure of starch extruction from raw potatoes are described below:
Around 5-6kg of potatoes will require to extract 1kg of dry starch powder.
Potato starch extruction machine design: Manual extruction of potato starch is quite time consuming and difficult. In order to ensure bulk production below type machines can be use with a very easy operating mechanism.
Sizing of Warp Yarn: After preparing dry starch powder, sizing can be done by using that starch powder. Generally three different types of sizing recipe can be follow for commercial warp yarn sizing. Light, pure, medium and heavy sizing. In this project pure sizing recipe was followed.
| Sizing Recipe: | Sizing Ingredients: |
| Water: 85% Total Sizing Ingredients: 15% |
Starch: 100 lbs Clay: 34lbs Tallow: 15lbs MgCl2: 1 gallon ZnCl2: ½ gallon |
3.3. Result & Discussion: Sizing chemicals must have to show some properties, so that it can be accepted widely into the commercial market for sizing.
of Potato Starch.
Evaluation of potato starch as a sizing material is described below:
| Property | Result |
| Visual Appearance | Solid Powder Form |
| Color | Pure White |
| Size Pick Up % | 18.6% |
| General pH Value | 6.6 ~ 7.0 (Neutral) |
| Transparency of size solution | Liquid Colorless |
| Odor | Very Slight |
| Desizing Procedure | Slight Alkaline Wash. |
| Film Property | Non-Stiff starch film with good elasticity. |
| Adhesive Property | Very good |
- Determination of Starch Content Percentage: Total stacrh conent present in grams per kilogram of diamond potato extracted solid powder is calculated below:
According to ISO 6493, starch content of a test sample can be calculate by this equation,
Here, w = numerical value of starch content (in grams per killogram)
𝑎1 = numerical value of total optical rotation (in degree’s) of HCl soluble
substances = 53.4⁰
𝑎2 = numerical value of total optical rotation (in degree’s) of ethanol soluble
substances = 18.70⁰
𝑚1= numerical value of the mass (in grams) of the test portion for the
determination of optical rotation after adding HCl =2.5+2.5g = 5g
𝑚2= numerical value of the mass (in grams) of the test portion for the
determination of optical rotation after adding Ethanol =2.5+2.5g = 5g
𝑎𝐷20= numerical value of the specific optical rotation (in degree’s)
For potato starch 𝑎𝐷20=185.7⁰
According to the equation, total content of starch in diamond potato extracted powder is 861.6 gm per killogram. So, starch percentage will be 86.16%. Total percentage of starch in extracted powder can vary according to the varriartion of potato. - Appearance/ Hairiness of Yarn After Sizing: Potato starch coated the warp yarn excellently after sizing. Coating propertly of potato starch based sizing material is quite impressive as like commercial starch (i.e. corn starch) even by accurate sizing procedure it can show much better properties than compared to corn starch.
Figure 4.2: Appearance of (A) Unsized, (B) Corn Sized, (C) Potato Sized Yarn. - Viscosity of the Sizing Solution: Another important factor for good sizing is maintainance of proper viscosity in the sizing solution. If viscosity of the solution is too low then size materials will loss it’s ability of coating protruding fibers. Again if viscosity of solution becomes too much then sizing property also be hampered.
Table 4.2: Comparison of Viscosity between Corn & Potato Based Sizing Solution
| Corn starch based sizing solution |
Potato starch based sizing solution |
| Viscosity: 130 mPas Temp: 25.60C to 25.80C |
Viscosity: 225 mPas Full Scale Percentage: 59.3% Temp: 30.30C to 30.20C |
Viscosity of potato starch based sizing solution is slightly more than the viscosity of corn starch based sizing solution. But, viscosity of potato starch based sizing solution in controllable. By using less amount of potato starch good label of viscosity can be observe as potato starch shows very good adhesive property.
- Effect on Yarn Strength & Elongation After Sizing: Potato starch ensures good strength and elongation property of yarn after sizing. According to strength and elongation test method ASTM D2256-10 effect of potato starch based sizing on cotton yarn shown below:
Property Before Sizing of Yarn After Sizing of Yarn Mean Elongation % 6.1% 6.8% Mean Breaking Strength 555.3 CN 618.4 CN Ratio of strength and elongation of sized and unsized yarn can be describe presicely by below table and chart:
Specimen
No. (Yarn)Breaking
Force
(cN)
Of Sized
YarnBreaking
Force
(cN)
Of
Unsized
YarnRatio of
Breaking
Force
Sized/
UnsizedElongation
At Break (%)
Of Sized
YarnElongation
At Break (%)
Of Unsized
YarnRatio of
Elongation
At Break
(%)
Sized/
Unsized01 639.66 568.17 1.126 6.93 6.15 1.127 02 598.48 533.66 1.121 6.42 5.79 1.109 03 578.76 557.46 1.038 6.48 6.27 1.033 04 676.81 551.55 1.227 7.66 6.12 1.252 05 585.74 532.65 1.100 6.09 6.06 1.005 06 614.45 558.94 1.099 6.74 6.00 1.123 07 616.82 562.20 1.097 7.03 6.29 1.118 08 605.96 569.48 1.064 6.82 6.51 1.048 09 625.39 568.34 1.100 6.98 5.85 1.193 10 641.70 550.17 1.166 7.11 5.77 1.232 Mean 618.38 555.26 1.114 6.83 6.08 1.123 Standard
Deviation29.18 13.43 0.4329 0.2372 Coefficie
nt of var.4.72% 2.42% 6.34% 3.90% Graphical Representation of Result:
- Effect on Yarn Count After Sizing: Potato starch based sizing increase yarn diameter as because of the protective sizing layer. As a result of potato sizing yarns of 35.9 Tex increased into 41.6 Tex.
Cost Feasibility: Usually Bangladesh uses imported potato starch which is quite costly (Approx 120-150 BDT per kg). But the cost of locally produced potato starch is cheaper than the imported one, in fact, it’s also cheaper than the market rate of another widely used starch powder “corn starch”.
According to the table, the cost of producing per kg potato starch is approx. 77.2 BDT which is around 30-40% cheaper than the market price. If selling price of per kg starch will be 90 BDT (around 13 BDT profit per kg), even then the price will be minimum 30-60 BDT lower than the market price.
In this cost estimation, the market price of potato is estimated. But if potato can be collect from raw farmers price will decrease the minimum of 40%-50% per kg of potato. In that case, price will be reduced more.
| Ingredients | Amount | Cost |
| Raw Material (Potato) | 5-6 Ton | 60000 BDT |
| Manpower (2 girls 3 boys) For the whole Process line |
Girls Per shift Salary 400 BDT each. Boys Per Shift Salary 800 BDT each. |
(400X2)+(800X3) =800+2400 =3200 BDT |
| Electricity Charge | Per Shift | 2000BDT |
| Labor Cost & Transportation Cost |
5-6 Ton Potato | Per Kg Potato=2 BDT 6 Ton Potato=12000BDT |
| Total Cost of Per Ton Starch Processing |
77200 BDT | |
| Total Cost Per Kg of Starch Processing |
(77200/1000) =77.2 BDT |
3.4.Feasibility Analysis
Economic Feasibility
• Minimize loss related to potato wastage (approx. value 3300 crore BDT in 2016-17 fiscal year)
• Minimize potato starch importing cost
• Less amount of potatoes have to store which ensures low storage cost
• Proper market price of potato make farmers economically strong
• Residual potato pulp can contribute in food industry (basically chips
industry).
Social Feasibility
• Farmers will become interested again on potato cultivation
• Locally produced potato starch will uphold the local dignity of Bangladesh towards the world.
• Root label farmers will get empowerment
• Bridge between textile & agriculture sector was established
Environmental Feasibility
• As potato is a naturally grown product, no possibility of spreading toxicity
• Dumping and wastage rate of potato will decrease
• Potato starch is a complete bio-degradable product
• Can be used as a food item also. (As a replacement of corn starch)
4.3. Discussion & Implementation
According to the properties and test results, it can be stated that potato starch can use as a sizing material. It complies with almost all properties of standard sizing material. It shows good strength, elongation, etc properties which is mandatory for weaving as well as potato starch is completely sustainable and environmentally friendly as a chemical.
Implementation of potato starch can be done initially in a small scale to experiment with the commercial acceptance of the material. Residual potato pulp can be used in the chips industry as a low carbohydrate-containing crunchy chips.
4.4. Limitations & Further Scope
There are still a lot of scope to accomplish work on this issue. Potato starch has to be evaluated from each and every possible aspect before initializing its use as a commercial starch. Due to time shortage, various processes couldn’t be executed in a proper way. Further scopes of study can be like:
- Determination of wearability of yarns sized by potato starch
- Detail comparison among commercially used starches like corn starch, maze starch etc. with potato starch
- Properties of potato-sized yarn when it sized with other sizing recipes like light sizing, medium sizing, heavy sizing, etc
- Market analysis and feasibility study of locally produced potato starch
- Study about the detailed process of potato starch production. etc
4. Conclusion
Potato starch based sizing material is a technique which can be an effective solution of the surplus of potato production. It can help the raw potato farmers who lost their hope of profit. It can save the cost of imported potato-based starch material.
The effectiveness of potato starch-based sizing material is quite similar with the commercially usable starches. But by using this method, Bangladesh can make a new ray of hope which will make a bridge between the textile and agriculture sector of the country.
It is not impossible that, near future, Bangladesh will also establish its name as a potato starch exporting country. The most important thing is this technique can make the raw farmers happy who are the actual hero of Bangladesh.
