Research Institute Develops Solar Tent Dryer

The Nigerian Stored Prod
ucts Research Institute (NSPRI) has developed a solar tent dryer, as part of  its efforts to assist farmers in the country to minimise wastage of agricultural produce.
A reliable source at the Institute’s office in Rumueme, Port Harcourt, has disclosed to The Tide that the product was developed by a researcher at the Institute; Mr. Folorunsho Babarinsa who is based in Ilorin.
The source disclosed that the Solar tent dryer was developed to boost export of agricultural produce in the country, especially that of Cocoa beans production in Nigeria.
He disclosed that the major factor responsible for the decline in the quality of Nigerian Cocoa, leading to the beans being discounted in the international market was poor drying.
According to him, the best drying method that would retain the quality of Cocoa was sun drying, but that it could be too slow in drying a large quantity, adding that the dryer was an advanced sun drying method that would ensure efficient drying of the beans and still retain its quality.
Meanwhile, the Officer in-charge of the Institute in Port Harcourt, Mr. Robbert Simeon told The Tide in his office last Friday that one of the major challenges that farmers are faced with is on how to dry their produce.
Simeon said that it is for that reason that the Institute in Nigeria has been researching on how to assist farmers to minimise wastage of products through the various dryers they have developed.
The officer-in-charge maintained that his office in Port Harcourt is working closely with farmers within the South-South Zone to assist them overcome some challenges.

Corlins Walter