| Purpose |
Artifical
drying of grains and other crops. |
| Capacity |
5
Bags of cob maize or bean pods. It can also dry
2 bags of shelled maize or threshed beans. It
can dry a batch of shelled maize or beans in 4
to 8 hours depending on th initial and final moisture
content of the product. High moisture maize-in-the-cob
takes at least 8 hours to dry down to 14% MC. |
| Advantage |
It
is heated by a charcoal stove that holds 5 Kg
of compacted charcoal which burns in 5 to 6 hours.
A combination of charcoal with either rice husk,
saw dust, and coffee hulls can be used provided
they are dry and compacted.
It can be built from locally available materials.
The grain compartment can be built of plywood
or burnt bricks. |
| Disadvantage |
Occasional
manual stiring of loose grain is required. The
stove musch be placed such that the heat is distrbuted
more of less evenly in the dryer. |
| Cost |
Grain
dryer and stove: US$ 125
Shed (Optional): US$ 60 - 100 (depending on materials
used) |
| Market
potential / Status |
140
Units have been adopted by small scale farmers
in Uganda which were built by locally trained
artisans.
(December 1999) |
| Information
provided by |
Post-Harvest
Handling& Storage Project, P.O. Box 7856 Kampala,
Uganda. Phone: (256)-41-234531 |
