Introduction
The noodles are basically Japanese and Chinese food products now becoming common in Bangladesh as ready to eat food in the form of instant noodles. Due to the convenience and good taste, it has now become popular among housewives as well as children.
Product
Noodles are made from fine wheat powder (maida) and starch (Tapioca flour) and other additives. Noodles are long thread like, having diameter of about one third of a millimeter. Different types of flavours are incorporated by adding particular combination of spices and flavours. The precooking makes the noodle ready to eat, harder grain and higher shelf life.
Market
Noodles being a ready to eat food are becoming more & more popular in our country due to rapid urbanisation and changing food habits. Noodles have become an essential part of modern kitchen. Besides domestic consumption, Noodles are available in fast food outlets and restaurants as well as in Railway caterings. With ready to serve and eat packing in thermoformed plastic containers its popularity has in creased much more.
Suggested Capacity
The minimum economic capacity for a unit manufacturing noodles is 150 metric Tonnes per annum.
Land and Building
The unit requires 500 sq.mtrs of land and covered area of about 250 sq. mtrs for this project.
Raw Materials
The annual requirement of main raw materials for producing 150 MT of noodles is as follows:
1. Fine Wheat flour powder (maida) : 156MT
2. Tapioca flour (starch) : 24 MT
3. Additives viz: baking soda, salts & spices
4. Packing materials
Utilities
The unit will require a total connected load of 30 KVA and a maximum demand load of 25 KVA. The water requirement per annum is about 1200 KL
Manufacturing Process
The fine wheat flour or maida, tapioca flour and other ingredients are mixed in suitable proportions in a mixer. Boiled water is added in the above mixture and kneaded in by a kneader into the form of dough. This kneaded dough is transferred to the inlet feed hopper of extruder where the noodles are produced through the outlet die and cutting blade.
The speed of cutting blade and its position is adjusted to achieve desired length of noodles. In this process moisture content is reduced from 35% to 29.5%. It is further steam cooked and dried through indirect exposure to sunlight upto 10% moisture content. The noodles are packed in plastic packings.
Plant & Machinery
1. Vertical type powder mixer 500 kgs. cap. with motor
2. Dough mixer blade type 75 kgs. cap.
3. Noodles making power operated, automatic machine with 4 Nos. of different sizes die heads.
4. Wooden trays-100 pieces sizes 2' x 3'
5. Plastic Buckets 4 nos. 20 litres cap. Aluminium/ galvanised water tank for storing raw materials with tap fitting.
6. Boiler, fuel heated, 75 Itrs. cap
Personnel
The unit requires to employ about 15 person for office & factory for production supervision and administration.
Estimated Cost of Project
The project cost for the noodle unit of capacity 150 MT per annum is estimated as follows:-
1. Land & site development $4285.71
2. Building $10714.28
3. Plant & Machinery $11428.57
4. Technical know-how & Engineering fee $1428.57
5. Other misc. fixed assets $2857.14
6. Preliminary & preoperative expenses $5000.00
7. Margin money for working capital $4285.71
8. Contingencies $2857.14
TOTAL $42857.14
Suggested Means of Finance
1. Lond term loans from financial
institutions $28571.42
2. State cash subsidy $5000.00
3. Promoter's Capital $9285.71
TOTAL $42857.14
Subsidy is taken as 15% ojthe Fixed Capital Investment, however it varies from state to state, ranging from 10% to 25% depending upon the category of identified backward area.