Solar biomass dryer cuts nutmeg drying time in Fakfak: Ministry

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia’s Transmigration Ministry said a student-developed dryer has cut nutmeg drying time for farmers in West Papua Province to two days from seven, helping reduce weather-related post-harvest risks.

“Regarding the drying tool, we do need something like this so we no longer have to worry about weather, such as rain,” Rangkum Farmers Group Head Aher Samai said in a statement received here Thursday.

The Smart Solar Biomass Dryer was developed by Hasanuddin University’s Patriot Expedition Team 15 for farmers in the Weri-Saharey Transmigration Area, Fakfak District.

The appropriate technology helps farmers address post-harvest challenges, particularly nutmeg drying, which has long depended on weather conditions.

Samai said the dryer uses locally available materials and does not require electricity, allowing farmers to operate it in various locations.

“We hope the dryer that has been developed can hold a larger capacity, so it can dry more nutmeg, and faster,” he said.

The Transmigration Ministry said the dryer can maintain temperatures of about 60 degrees Celsius and accommodate up to 1,000 nutmeg seeds per cycle.

With more controlled drying conditions, the process can be shortened to two days from about seven days previously.

The dryer is also designed to reduce the risk of mold developing on nutmeg when rain disrupts the drying process.

Michel Obrien, a representative of Hasanuddin University’s Patriot Expedition Team, said the dryer has five trays for placing nutmeg during the drying process.

“Then above that there is a separate special space with another five trays, which can dry around a thousand nutmeg seeds,” Obrien said.

The technology combines solar and biomass energy with Internet of Things technology, enabling a hybrid drying mechanism.

When temperatures fall below 50 degrees Celsius, biomass can be added. If temperatures exceed 60 degrees Celsius, the amount of biomass burned is reduced.

Agriculture Ministry data shows West Papua has 32,440 hectares of nutmeg plantations, producing 1,555 metric tons annually.

Appropriate technology is also a priority theme for the 2026 Patriot Expedition Team, alongside downstream processing, industrialization, the productive economy, digitalization and renewable energy.

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Translator: Aria, Kenzu
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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