Farmers who grow spices and vegetables often have to suffer losses even after good yields as they do not get fair prices in the market. This happens because they sell their crops at low prices for fear of their getting spoilt due to high moisture content. Spice crops, especially turmeric and ginger, are among the most severely affected. Earlier, these spice crops were dried up in the open before storage. But this consumes more time and carries the risk of getting spoilt due to dirt and dust, sudden rain, rats and insects. Now that the new-technology Solar Dehydrator and Slicer has been developed, 12 kinds of vegetables and spices, including turmeric and ginger, can be dried up in very little time and kept safe for much longer.
Devang Joshi, Founder Director, Rudra Solar Energy, Ahmedabad spoke about the technology of the Solar Dehydrator and Slicer and its advantages in the Rural Voice Agritech Show. You may watch this episode of the show by clicking on the video link given above.
Joshi said that most of the vegetables and spices begin to rot and deteriorate fast because of high moisture content. Due to this fear, farmers sell their crops at low prices and suffer losses. At the same time, drying up these crops by means of the conventional method, besides consuming more time and labour, leads to a host of problems. In order to overcome these problems, the Electronic Dehydrator and Slicer was developed first. This can dry up vegetables and spices in very little time and keep them safe. They can be stored for the off season, when selling these crops fetches higher profits to the farmers.
The technology has now moved further ahead, said Joshi, and the Solar Dehydrator and Slicer has hit the market. It is run by solar panels. It can dry up several vegetables and spices, including ginger. Joshi said that the Solar Turmeric Dehydrator dries up the spices and vegetables in a day. The Slicer chops them into small slices, thus making the drying process easier and faster.
Joshi said that the technology was neither big nor expensive. The Solar Dehydrator is made of angle iron six feet long, three feet wide and three feet high. The angle is covered with a transparent plastic sheet with the provision for a small door, which is used when placing the vegetables or spices in or out. A small solar panel plate is placed above it and a fan is in a corner to blow air. The drier is solar-powered. This machine dries up the produce in a fully protected condition. It keeps the crop safe from dust and insects outside. Unlike being dried up outside, the turmeric or vegetables inside the Dehydrator remain clean and do not lose colour. Joshi said that the price of the machine ranges from Rs 20,000 to Rs 1.5 lakh, depending upon the size.
Kuldeep Dixit, Enterprise Development Manager, India Foundation for Humanistic Development, Amreli, Gujarat, has provided this technology to the farmers of Amreli and is making them use it. He said in the Rural Voice Agritech Show that the technology was benefiting the spices and vegetable farmers immensely. In this technology, a washer is required to clean the produce, a slicer for cutting, a solar drier for drying, a grinder if the produce is to be turned into powder, and a packing machine for packing. All these are operated by solar power. Farmers are adding value to their produce through this technology and earning 2-3 times more profit.