13 The economics of Dehydration The food manufacturing industry, in general, has always been a highly competitive business but no branch of it is more so than dehydration Profitability hinges on so many factors, some of which are outside the manufacturer's control One of the main hazards in this context is that of climate. Total solids in raw materials are the key to a viable operation, and, if these are low, due to wet growing conditions, the plant throughput is going to be seriously reduced, often with disastrous effects on costs. The evaporative capacity of the dryers, in these circumstances, will be strained to the limit, with perhaps a 20 percent reduction in weight of end-product, after additional labour, fuel and overhead costs have been thrown in to what is inevitably a losing battle Studies have been made of weather statistics in the UK, over the period from planting to early maturity of potatoes and root vegetables, and total solids appear to be affected by the amount of rainfall and hours of sunshine in this period, ie, from early May to late September Given low rainfall, and a good record of hours of sunshine in these months, the total solids in these vegetables are usually high and subsequent deterioration of weather conditions in the later part of the year, whilst the crop is still in the ground, does not appear to materially affect the balance of moisture content and solids characteristics13 The Economics of Dehydration The food manufacturing industry, in general, has always been a highly competitive business but no branch of it is more so than dehydration. Profitability hinges on so many factors, some of which are outside the manufacturer’s control. One of the main hazards in this context is that of climate. Total solids in raw materials are the key to a viable operation, and, if these are low, due to wet growing conditions, the plant throughput is going to be seriously reduced, often with disastrous effects on costs. The evaporative capacity of the dryers, in these circumstances, will be strained to the limit, with perhaps a 20 percent reduction in weight of end-product, after additional labour, fuel and overhead costs have been thrown in to what is inevitably a losing battle. Studies have been made of weather statistics in the UK, over the period from planting to early maturity of potatoes and root vegetables, and total solids appear to be affected by the amount of rainfall and hours of sunshine in this period, ie, from early May to late September. Given low rainfall, and a good record of hours of sunshine in these months, the total solids in these vegetables are usually high and subsequent deterioration of weather conditions in the later part of the year, whilst the crop is still in the ground, does not appear to materially affect the balance of moisture content and solids characteristics. 252