Where a wide variety of vegetables is being handled, great care has to be exercised in dovetailing the cropping programme, so that there is no hiatus at any time of the year, which would create costly downtime' for the plant. The calling off of tonnage against contract purchases must also be done at a rate of intake which will give the factory a safe margin of stock level if bad weather interferes with harvesting or lifting of crops With potatoes and root vegetables n silos, a yard stock to keep the plant running for up to four days is a workable and wise precaution, provided that the silos are equipped to giv adequate protection against the weather Where controlled temperature and humidity storage is available,a much larger buffer stock is possible but the cost of operating this, including weight loss and rot wastage, must be taken into account. Onions for example can lose 15-20 percent in weight, even in ideal conditions From the factors outside the control of the processor, we can now turn to the absolute essentials, which are controllable, for conducting a viable dehydration business HOURS OF OPERATION It is essential that the plant be operational 24hr per day, six days per week. Eight, or sometimes twelve, hours of the seventh day are required for plant cleaning and maintenance, and four hours are needed to heat up the plant for the ensuing week. In effect, therefore, dehydration becomes a seven day operation The mechanical and electrical maintenance at the weekend is vital to the profitability, because downtime, arising from any breakdown, is extremely costly. This could amount, with a medium size plant, to perhaps USS700-1000 per hour, according the level of production at the time LENGTH OF SEASON Any length of shutdown in the year is a cost factor, which must be carefully considered and budgeted for during the months of actual production. This again, is an insupportable burden if the period of shutdown is long Normally, it should be possible to process vegetables for about 10-11 months in the year, limiting the shutdown period to 5-8 weeks. Basic wages and salaries, and all standing charges, will have to be covered, in this period, by a weekly contribution in the costing system whilst the factory is in operation, just as, in the same way, annual and statutory holidays are provided A major plant overhaul is always undertaken annually and it is essential to have an ample number of fitters and electricians available for a concerted and sustained effort over this periodWhere a wide variety of vegetables is being handled, great care has to be exercised in dovetailing the cropping programme, so that there is no hiatus at any time of the year, which would create costly 'downtime' for the plant. The calling off of tonnage against contract purchases must also be done at a rate of intake which will give the factory a safe margin of stock level if bad weather interferes with harvesting or lifting of crops. With potatoes and root vegetables in silos, a yard stock to keep the plant running for up to four days is a workable and wise precaution, provided that the silos are equipped to give adequate protection against the weather. Where controlled temperature and humidity storage is available, a much larger buffer stock is possible but the cost of operating this, including weight loss and rot wastage, must be taken into account. Onions for example can lose 15-20 percent in weight, even in ideal conditions. From the factors outside the control of the processor, we can now turn to the absolute essentials, which are controllable, for conducting a viable dehydration business. HOURS OF OPERATION It is essential that the plant be operational 24hr per day, six days per week. Eight, or sometimes twelve, hours of the seventh day are required for plant cleaning and maintenance, and four hours are needed to heat up the plant for the ensuing week. In effect, therefore, dehydration becomes a seven day operation. The mechanical and electrical maintenance at the weekend is vital to the profitability, because downtime, arising from any breakdown, is extremely costly. This could amount, with a medium size plant, to perhaps US$700-1000 per hour, according the level of production at the time. LENGTH OF SEASON Any length of shutdown in the year is a cost factor, which must be carefully considered and budgeted for during the months of actual production. This, again, is an insupportable burden if the period of shutdown is long. Normally, it should be possible to process vegetables for about 10-11 months in the year, limiting the shutdown period to 5-8 weeks. Basic wages and salaries, and all standing charges, will have to be covered, in this period, by a weekly contribution in the costing system whilst the factory is in operation, just as, in the same way, annual and statutory holidays are provided for. A major plant overhaul is always undertaken annually and it is essential to have an ample number of fitters and electricians available for a concerted and sustained effort over this period. 253