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Drying Dates Using Solar Energy Under Polycaronate House -New Promising Technology to Dry Dates in Oman

United Arab Emirates
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The project “Development of Sustainable Date Palm Production Systems” in GCC countries aims to use of proper agro-management techniques, and to develop proper post-harvest techniques to reduce losses, and improve marketing.

Drying dates by solar energy under Polycarbonate Drying House (PDH) is developed by the project. The PDH is a drying chamber cover by polycarbonate sheet equipped by exhaust fan. The polycarbonate sheet has superior properties in terms of transparency, transmissivity, property, anti-corrosion, tensile properties, tear-resistant, anti-puncture, water and moisture proof.

Principal advantages on using the PDH technology are the following: (1) Improves the quality of the dates, especially in humid areas; (2) Avoids the contamination of dates by insects, birds, dust, and rain; (3) Accelerates the drying process and (4) Reduces the loss rate.

The implementation of this improved technology can have positive socioeconomic impacts on local income generation, food security and consequently a sustainable date palm farming system.

Economic evaluation of the polycarbonate drying houses in Sultanate of Oman reveal the high profitability of the polycarbonate drying system, even when it is not subsidized by the government. At a real discount rate of 5%, the net present value (NPV) is positive and very high in all cases. The estimated Internal Rate Return (IRR) was higher than the current interest rate in the Sultanate, which could encourage both date palm growers and private investors to invest in polycarbonate drying houses.

Adoption and Diffusion Outcome Prediction Tool (ADOPT) was used to focus groups of date palm growers in Al Batina region in Sultanate of Oman to predicts the proportion of a target population that might adopt an innovation over time. The assessment of adoption of the (PDH) technology reveal that 95% of the farmers in Al

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Batina region would adopt the innovation after 21 years. However, the predicted adoption levels in 5 and 10 years from start is 23% and 73%, respectively.

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