Solar dryers for fruits by Aqua Hub LTD take 24 – 72 hours to dry produce. We design flat roofed solar dryers of sizes of 3m x 3m x 2m, 5 x 8 x 2, 6 x 6 x 2 and tunnel types such as 8 x 15m, 8 x 24m and 8 x 30m.
The prices of our solar dryers are below:
| Size of the dryer (Meters) | Cost (KES) |
| 3 x 3 x 2 | KES 150,000 – KES 175,000 |
| 5 x 8 x 2 | KES 280,000 – KES 320,000 |
| 6 x 6 x 2 | KES 280,000 – KES 330,000 |
| 8 x15 | KES 620,000 |
| 8 x 24 | KES 818,000 |
| 8 x30 | KES 824,000 |
Why fruits should be dried using solar dryers
Fruit farmers and vendors especially those who sell mangoes and bananas often experience losses due to low market demand. The reliable solution that farmers can adopt is by drying their fruits using solar dryers. The dryer removes the moisture and enhances value addition by converting the fruits to dry chunks that are sweet and nutritional.
Export fruits are preserved using a solar dryer to ensure they meet the standards and fetch high market prices. It is better than open sun drying which subjects your drying products to high humidity, insects, dust and mould.
How Fruit solar dryers work
Solar dryers capture the sun’s energy to heat or warm air and pass it over the fruit, removing moisture. The key is that they protect the fruit from direct exposure to insect pests, dust, wind and rain; while speeding up the drying compared to open sun drying.
Top benefits of solar drying fruits
Reduced post‐harvest losses
Because you dry faster and protect the fruit from pests, dust, rain and birds, you lose fewer fruits
Quality preservation (taste, colour, nutrients)
Improved solar dryer designs allow faster drying, without loss of flavor and nutritional content.
Value addition and higher market prices
Dried fruit sells at a higher unit price (per kg) than harvested fruit because of improved taste and value addition.
Longer shelf life and marketing flexibility
Dried fruits have long shelf life, and thus you can wait to sell when prices are high.
Environmentally friendly & lower running cost
Once you invest a solar dryer, you rely on the sun, no heavy electricity bills. Many designs use natural airflow, simple materials, and minimise energy use.
Better hygiene and food safety
A well-designed dryer protects from dust, insects, rodents, dew and rain. The enclosed environment improves cleanliness, and thus dried products are safe for local consumption or export market.
Types of fruit solar dryers
Fruit solar dryers are available in varying types, each with different design, drying capacity and duration of dehydration. The available types are as explained below:
· Direct solar dryers
These are the simplest: the fruit is placed in a chamber or under transparent cover and heated directly by sunlight. Airflow may be natural from the ventilation spaces. They cost least, easy to build, but drying is slower, capacity is smaller, and you depend a lot on the sun being strong.
· Indirect solar dryers
Here the sun heats a collector or air-heating surface, then the warm air is directed into a drying chamber where fruit is loaded. This means the fruit doesn’t get direct sunlight but gets warm air. Better control and quality.
· Hybrid solar dryers
Hybrid dryers combine solar heat with biomass, charcoal combustion or electric heaters to boost drying energy when sun is low. When integrated with biomass or charcoal burner They may include solar panels plus batteries that power the fans. They cost more but give faster, more uniform drying and better quality.
Solar dryers in Kenya for sale
Aqua Hub Kenya Ltd constructs commercial and hybrid solar dryers for fruits and vegetables. Our solar dryers are tailor-made to suit drying needs of our clients. We use food grade materials including stainless steel pipes, UV treated polythene, insect nets, fans and ground liners to make our solar dryers. Common sizes range from 1.5 m ×1.5 m ×1 m up to 3m×2m×2m according to customer needs.
Call 0790719020
Cost of solar dryers in Kenya
If you are a small fruit farmer and want to dry say tens of kilograms per batch, you might invest anywhere from KES 30,000 to KES 100,000 depending on design and features.
You also need to consider additional costs: installation, labour, shelves, and maintenance.
If you reduce losses and improve income by drying fruit to a higher value product, you can recover investment in months.
How to setup and install solar dryers for fruits
For a solar dryer to remove moisture to a required level while also lasting a longer time, proper installation is key. Explained below are the steps to follow for proper installation of solar dryers for fruits.
Step 1: Pick an appropriate area
- Pick a location with good sun exposure throughout the day. Avoid places with tall trees or buildings.
- Ensure the site is level, has good drainage, and is accessible for loading or unloading trays.
Step 2: Choose design and size based on drying capacity
- Select based on how much fruit you will dry per batch and season. If you harvest a high yield, you might want a bigger unit than if you harvest a few kgs.
- Get in touch with Aqua Hub LTD to match size, capacity, number of trays, loading and unloading ease.
- Choose materials: UV-treated plastic cover, food-grade trays or mesh shelves, galvanized steel frame, black liner floor (heat absorber
- Airflow design also matter: natural vents or fans (if hybrid). Make sure doors are sealed, insect mesh present, trays allow airflow around fruit.
Step 3: Constructing the dryer
- Aqua Hub LTD will help you design a reliable solar dryer based on your required drying capacity and budget.
- We have wide range of options from simple wooden to hybrid dryers made of fabricated steel structures.
- As per your drying needs, we will design a perfect fit for your project.
Step 4: Prepare fruits for drying
Before loading fruit into the dryer, you must prepare as explained below:
- Select good quality ripe fruit; discard damaged, rotten or mouldy pieces.
- Wash and clean fruit thoroughly (remove any dirt, insects). Use a bleach solution for washing buckets if necessary for hygiene.
- Peel and slice fruit appropriately: slicing increases surface area and reduces drying time. Thickness depends on fruit type (for example mango slices 2–3 mm in one study).
- For fruits like apples, you may dip slices in lemon juice to reduce browning.
- Load trays in single layer, avoid overlapping, allow airflow between slices. Use clean trays and keep workspace clean.
Step 5: Operate the dryer
- Load trays quickly, close doors to keep insects and dust out.
- Monitor drying: check temperature and humidity if you have meters. Some fruit drying takes 1-3 days depending on the thickness and fruit type.
- Turn the fruits, if need be, to ensure uniform drying. Make sure airflow is not blocked.
Step 6: Pack and store dried fruit
- When fruit chunks are dry remove them from the shelves in the afternoon to avoid morning dew.
- Package promptly in airtight containers, bags or jars, and keep them in dark, cool place. Label date of packaging.
- Store away from moisture, direct sunlight, insects or rodents.
Step 7: Maintenance and record keeping
- Regularly clean trays and dryer interior.
- Check the cover for wear, replace when necessary.
- Keep an eye on ventilation vents, fans and ensure airflows is good.
- Record batches: date loaded, fruit type, dried weight, yield.
Challenges and solutions with solar drying fruits
Weather and sunlight variability
If the sunlight intensity is low, drying slows. In open sun drying, the produce takes longer to dry and sometimes faces risk of mould growth. The solar dryer is better but still relies on solar energy.
Solution: Choose a site that gets good sun. For hybrid systems, include fans or alternate heat or drying when sun is weak. Monitor drying and adjust. Choose fruit types and slices that dry within your climate conditions.
Initial investment cost
Buying or building a good dryer costs money, and you must wait for returns.
Solution: Calculate your costs and expected value addition. Start with a smaller capacity unit and scale up.
Market for dried fruit
Drying is one thing, selling the dried fruit at a good price is another. If you produce but no market, you may not get full value.
Solution: Before investing, explore market demand: local cafés, retailers, snack producers, diaspora market, export possibilities. Package and brand neatly.
Maintaining quality and fruit safety
If hygiene is poor, fruit gets contaminated, you risk mould, loss, and food poisoning.
Solution: Ensure hygiene at every step: cleaning fruit, trays, dryer, controlling airflow, avoiding condensation, packaging promptly and storing properly.
Ventilation issues for hybrid models
If you use fans, solar panels or batteries, you need maintenance. If that fails you drop back to slower drying.
Solution: Choose reliable components, keep spare parts, keep fans and solar cells well maintained, have backup plan. Use simpler natural‐ventilation design if budget doesn’t allow.
Best supplier of solar dryers in Kenya
If you want to pick a single best supplier, it depends on your scale and budget. But from the list above, one stands out for fruits and vegetables, across Kenya, is Aqua Hub Kenya. They have country-wide presence, design tailored dryers, support both small and large scale, and have many references.
Why Aqua Hub stands out
- We are the top-rated designer and installation company in Kenya for fruits, vegetables, cassava, root crops.
- Designs both natural ventilation and hybrid types, so that you have wide range of options.
- Have handled larger commercial customers exporting dried produce.
- Customizes solar dryers according to volume, crop, location is important when you’re focusing on fruits.
- Outreach covers multiple regions in Kenya mainly Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Eldoret,
Real Story from farmers using solar dryers
Case Study: Improved solar dryer for mangoes & pineapples
In a study comparing drying methods, mangoes and pineapples dried in an improved solar dryer had higher sensory and nutritional quality than those dried by open sun or conventional solar dryers.
This suggests that fruit dried with proper solar dryers delivers better end-product which is important for market quality.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is a solar dryer?
A solar dryer is an enclosed unit that uses sunlight to heat air and remove moisture from fruits or drying produce. - How does a solar dryer differ from open sun drying?
Unlike open sun drying, a solar dryer protects from dust, insects and rain and enables faster, more uniform drying with less risk of spoilage. - What fruits can I dry with a solar dryer?
Mangoes, pineapples, bananas, papayas and apples are commonly dried using solar dryers. - How long does drying of fruits take?
Most sliced fruits may take about 1-3 days under good sunlight conditions. - What types of solar dryers are available in Kenya?
- Direct solar dryers – exposes products to direct sunlight under transparent cover
- Indirect solar dryers – sunlight heats air first, then that is directed to dry produce in a separate chamber.
- Hybrid solar dryers – combines solar energy with auxiliary energy sources to dry the products.
- How much do solar dryers cost in Kenya?
- It depends on the size and type of solar dryer. For example, a tunnel metallic solar dryer of 8 x 15m cost around KES 620,000.
- Where can I buy a solar dryer in Kenya?
- Aqua Hub Kenya.
- Do solar dryers work in rainy seasons?
- Basic solar dryers depend on sunlight and will be less efficient during cloudy or rainy days. Hybrid solar dryers work well in such conditions.
- How do I maintain a solar dryer?
- Maintenance tasks include cleaning the transparent cover, checking and cleaning shelves, replacing torn polythene and ensuring frames are in good condition.
- Can solar dryers boost my farm income?
- Yes. By adding value to surplus or seasonal fruits, reducing post‐harvest losses, enabling storage and sale when prices are better.
