Abstract
The cost-benefit analysis is based on the prevailing market prices for both the fresh and the dried products. Even if the technical performance of the dryer is found to be satisfactory, the use of solar dryer in Pakistan needs to be described from the economic point of view. Drying is an essential process in the preservation of agricultural products. Various drying techniques are employed to dry different food products. Each technique has its own advantages and limitations. Industrial drying offers quality drying whereas it’s high cost limits its use. Open sun drying suffers from quality considerations though it enjoys cost advantage. Choosing the right drying system is thus important in the process of drying agricultural products. Especially, in the regions where some crops have to be dried during rainy season. In such areas special drying system has to be adopted Present study describes a comparison between traditional sun drying and other solar drying techniques and show that the use of solar dryer leads to a considerable reduction of the drying time and to a significant improvement of the product quality in terms of color, texture and taste. Besides, it also ensures the prevention of the infestations of insects and microbial pests.
