Grekkon Limited Solar Dryer

Country:
Kenya
Why to choose this solution?
They dry fruits and vegetables very fast compared to drying in the open air. For instance, if it takes 7 days in the open, It will take you 2 days with a dryer. The suns UV rays do not get into direct contact with the drying food, its, color, taste, scent, and nutritional value are unaffected; There is less risk of spoilage. The food is free from dust, sand or other external contaminants. No pests. Insect, bird, or mammalian pests have no access to food in the dryer, so no attack occurs. Solar dried fruits are also good for health. The solar drying systems are an effective means of food preservation, a good value to highly perishable foods.
Savings per day or production:
They reduce drying period. For instance, a solar dryer will take 2 days to dry if drying in the open takes 7 days.
Cost in money and in own time to construct:
The price ranges according to design of the dryer. The smallest dryer is 3.4 cubic m in size and is priced at Kes 48,000(USD 480), a 2-ton per session fruit dryer is Kes 1,500,000 (USD 15,000).
Lifetime:
To be added.
Maintenance needed:
Cleaning the shelves.
Resources needed in use:
Utilizes sunshine to heat up air that dries food product(including drying fruits, vegetables, meat and cereals) in it.
Problems and limits:
The dryers are expensive hence affored by few farmers.
Where and how can you get it or make it?
Solar dryers by Grekkon Limited are available in Nairobi, Eldoret and Nyeri stores. They have online shopping which is convenient and fulfilling experience with easy and quick delivery.
Skills needed to produce, install. maintenance, use:
Construction and installation is done by skilled personnel from Grekkon Limited on site according to the food material and volume to be dried per drying session while its use and maintenance requires a short introduction only.
How to use it:
To be added.
How to maintain it:
Not relevant.
Climate effect (if any):
They are environment friendly, enhance energy conservation and dry four to times as fast as open air drying.
Where it is used and how many users are there?
Used all over Kenya by farmers.
Why is it successful?
They are environment friendly, enhance energy conservation and dry four to five times as fast as open air drying. Thes olar drying systems are an effective means of food preservation, a good value to highly perishable foods.
If you can make it, a short description, typical problems, materials needed.:
The dryers are constructed from food grade material- from the structural system to the cover; This is achieved by use of UV treated cover and floor material, and food grade zinc or aluminum galvanized structure. The dryers are designed according to crop and desired quality output.
How to make it (if possible):
To be added
How is it delivered and by whom?
Solar dryers by Grekkon Limited are available in Nairobi, Eldoret, and Nyeri stores where clients can purchase them directly; and the technical and agronomy teams will design the dryer according to crop and desired quality output. They will also offer support and advise farmers on crop value addition.
Successful financial model
To be added
What policies and strategies helped the success?
To be added
More info:
https://grekkon.com/solar-dryers/
Sources:
Grekkon Limited Amrash Business Park, Utawala. +254 715 157 132 | +254 777 157 132 E: info@grekkon.com
Name of the association uploading the case:
SusWatch Kenya
When was the case uploaded? (YYYY-MM-DD):
2021-02-22