About 20% tomato, 10% ginger, 10% mushroom, 30% amla (Emblica officinalis) and 5% apple are generally damages/waste during a year. People in the state dries fruits apple, peach, palm nut and vegetables chilly, turmeric, ginger and pomegranate in open sun resulting poor quality of the dried product due to dust/fungus infection, insects, sudden rains, wild animals and monkeys etc. This gives low return to the farmers and requires more time to carry product inside to outside. Solar drying of fruits and vegetables has reduced the losses and improve the quality of product for better price in the market. A 25 kg capacity indirect solar drier has been constructed for the drying of fruits vegetables, seeds and medicinal plants. The drier works during clouds and after sunset resulting fast drying due to heating from bulbs provided in the solar air heater. 15 solar driers have been installed in the state on cost sharing basis. The performance evaluation of these driers in the field conditions has been presented.
