Patna: Bihar is planning to expand the use of solar energy in agriculture through solar-powered crop dryers for farmers, self-help groups (SHGs), farmer producer organisations (FPOs) and agricultural clusters.
The Bihar Horticulture Development Society (BHDS) has invited bids from manufacturers and authorised agencies for supplying, installing and maintaining these systems across the state.
Solar Dryers From 20 Kg to 1,000 Kg
The tender covers different capacities based on the needs of users:
- 20/25 kg: Individual farmers and small growers
- 50 kg: SHGs, nurseries and progressive farmers
- 100 kg: SHGs, FPOs and village enterprises
- 250–500 kg: Farmer clusters and larger processing centres
- 1,000 kg: Special cluster and institutional projects
The dryers can be used for fruits, vegetables, spices, flowers, grains and medicinal and aromatic plants.
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Focus on Post-Harvest Management
The initiative aims to bring solar energy into agricultural post-harvest operations and provide controlled drying of farm produce.
The systems will include drying chambers or tunnels, trays, racks, fans, sensors and controllers. Solar PV modules and batteries will be provided where applicable.
Suppliers will also provide installation, maintenance and crop-wise operating manuals.
Technical and Quality Standards
For dryers of 50 kg and above, forced-air circulation will be mandatory. Systems of 100 kg and above must include temperature and humidity displays and data-logging facilities.
BHDS will also conduct quality checks through:
- Pre-dispatch inspection
- Field acceptance testing
- Performance monitoring
- Random inspection of supplied units
Five-Year Warranty for Systems
Suppliers must provide a minimum five-year comprehensive warranty, while the supporting structure must meet a seven-year durability requirement.
Selected agencies will also handle preventive and corrective maintenance during the warranty period.
The tender requires bidders to have at least three years of relevant experience and 25 completed installations in the past five financial years.
Clean Energy Push for Bihar Agriculture
The solar dryer initiative could help farmers and producer groups improve post-harvest handling while reducing dependence on conventional energy sources.
By linking solar power with agricultural processing, Bihar aims to strengthen clean-energy use and support better management of farm produce across the state.
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