We dry turmeric and chilli for 400 member farmers now without ever watching the sky. The tunnel dryer paid for itself in one season, and the colour we retain has lifted our market price.
Farmer Producer Organization
How Jujurana FPO Turned Surplus Apples into Year-Round Income
A Himachal apple FPO cut post-harvest losses and created a premium dried-apple product line using Rudra solar dryers.
Trusted by organisations across India
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Green Hill Eco (GHE)
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Green Hill Eco (GHE)
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Challenge
Every season, a large share of the FPO's apple harvest was downgraded or wasted — fruit that was perfectly good but too small, bruised or surplus to sell fresh. Open-sun drying was slow, unhygienic and ruined the colour buyers wanted.
Solution
Rudra Solar Energy installed multi-tray cabinet solar dryers sized to the FPO's peak load. Members were trained to slice, load and grade dried apple rings to a consistent standard, all without any fuel cost.
Results
The FPO converted its surplus and second-grade apples into a hygienic, shelf-stable dried product that now sells at a premium through the year — smoothing income well past the short fresh-fruit window.
“The solar dryer turned fruit we used to throw away into a product we sell all year. It changed the economics of our orchard.”
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Systems behind the results