National Agricultural Research Centre (Narc) has developed a solar dates drying system to minimise the post-production losses of dates, which are estimated to be around 50 percent of the total production.
Farm Machinery Institute (FMI) has played an important role in increasing productivity and reducing pre and post-harvest losses of dates.
It is to be noted that Pakistan produces about 550,000 tonnes dates every year, but only 9 to 10 percent of the total production is exported due to lack of proper drying and processing facilities.
According to official sources, most of it is produced in Sindh, Balochistan and NWFP provinces.
The country can earn a considerable foreign exchange provided dates are dried and processed on scientific lines.
Solar dates drying system (SDDS) system consists of eight flat plate solar collectors, a fan and a drying chamber.
FMI engineers have successfully conducted dates drying trials using solar energy at a farm near D.I. Khan. A field demonstration of FMI solar dates drying system was arranged at Mitrabad, Dhakki, D.I. Khan on Malik Rab Nawaz Dhaki Date International near Chashma Barrage at Mitrabad.
The major objective of the demonstration is to popularise PARC-developed machines amongst farmers and potential agricultural machinery manufacturers.
About 20 to 60 percent moisture is reduced in about five days whereas the conventional sun drying method takes about 10 to 14 days.
The system has a capacity to dry three tonnes of dates per season and the quality standards are much better than the conventional technique and farmers would be able to get more income of their produce by marketing fine quality dates.
Comments
Comments are closed.