Drying potatoes for feed in a direct-fired, rotary drier. Economic feasibility of the process

Abstract

A practical method has been developed for making potato feed with a direct-fired, rotary, alfalfa-type drier. A plant processing 62 tons of potatoes daily would produce about 13.8 tons of feed, at a cost of about $30.09 per ton. This plant would cost about $92,500. If cull potatoes are available at 25 cents per hundredweight, the cost to make a ton of product would be about $52.59. Based on the assumption that dried potatoes are equal to corn in feeding value, if corn sells at $2.25 per bushel, a Maine potato feed manufacturer might realize a profit of approximately 24 per cent on his fixed investment after payment of sales expense and income tax. These estimates are based on 8 months' operation on potatoes and 21/2 months on drying other crops or vegetable field wastes. Since potato feed is a relatively new commodity, a good sales promotion program will be required to enable it to compete with corn. Potato feed should be made more profitably in areas where there are established drying plants, i.e., alfalfa dehydrators, by operating in conjunction with them.