Low cost solar dryer for fish

Prawns (Kolambi) were selected as drying material in low cost solar dryer (LCSD). Time required for reducing the moisture content from 75 to 16 % were observed in open sun drying and solar drying for its comparison. Salted fish inside the dryer required 8 h in order to dry prawns up to 16.15 % while unsalted fish required 15 h to reach moisture content up to 15.15 % in open condition. Overall collection efficiency was found as 70.97%. Average drying efficiency for salted fish was 14 % and unsalted fish was 11 % whereas pickup efficiency for salted and unsalted fish was found as 10 and 9 % respectively. Salted prawns were found most liked for its colour and texture than unsalted solar dried sample in sensory evaluation. Unsalted prawns sample dried in solar dryer was overall accepted, while traditionally open sun dried sample was least liked for its colour and texture. The value of F is calculated as 1.98 during the sensory evaluation. The economic cost of solar dryer was compared with mechanical drying for beneficial to local fishermen. The cost of LCSD in Rs. 1700/- is affordable to poor fisherman comparing to other costly mechanical dryer. Local fisherman could recover solar dryer cost within the period of 0.19 years by adopting solar drying technology