Development of Commercial Belt Dryer for Granulated Cassava
Keywords:
Cassava, Manihot esculenta L, Belt Dryer, Postharvest, Agricultural MachineryAbstract
This research has successfully designed, fabricated, and field tested a technically feasible mechanical dryer for granulated cassava. Test results revealed that the developed drying technology has an input capacity of 1,158kgh-1, output capacity of 509kgh-1, and cassava product recovery of 44.2% with an average moisture reduction rate of 40.2%h-1.  Cost-benefit analysis showed that the technology is financially feasible given an internal rate of return of 17.12%. Total drying cost per kilogram output is estimated at US$0.027 (US$=Php45). By accounting all the costs involved in drying, the farmers can realize net benefits of US$136.40 per hectare for using the technology given a higher product recovery of 44-48% as compared to the traditional sun drying method of only 34-38%. As such, this technology provides a viable alternative solution to the drying problem of farmers to sustain the growth of commercial production of cassava in the Philippines.
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