Tomato Processing by Solar Energy

This article presents a case study on solar powered tomato processing in Ethiopia.

Project

TAMPA (Tigray Agricultural Marketing Promotion Agency) started in April 2014 in collaboration with the Sustainable Land Management Program (GIZ SLMP) the promotion of micro and small enterprises for tomato processing using renewable energy. The target groups are cooperatives of tomato farmers producing in remote areas without access to electrical power (2014: only 14% of the Ethiopian population has access to grid power, see also Ethiopia Energy Situation).

Many agro processing steps need both thermic energy (heat) and electrical energy (power), both will be obtained from the sunlight. In Tigray, the availability of solar power is reliable and regular in the dry season. The tomato season starts around end of November and ends in the month of June. Then, the processing period will last for 7 months = 210 days. This climate smart technology helps to reduce post-harvest losses and enhances the tomato farmers to add value on their raw products.

The end products are tomato paste/sauce, tomato juice, dried tomatoes and tomato powder. These are conservable without cooling (paste 6 months, juice 1 month, dried tomatoes/powder up to 1 year) and allow the producers to receive better prices for their commercial products:

• 3,150 kg of fresh tomatoes are processed to 1,260 kg long conservable tomato paste, packed into 3,150 bags of each 200 gram plus 1,260 bags of 500g
• 1,050 kg of fresh tomatoes are processed to 735 liter of tomato juice, packed in 1,470 bottles (‘Highland’) of each 0.5 liters
• 5,000 kg of fresh tomatoes will be sun-dried to 675 kg dried tomato slices, and 75 kg tomato powder, packed into vacuum-sealed polyethylene bags

Please note: The solar system is all year around available and can be used for other income generating activities, like television, video, lighting, battery charging, water cooking, sterilization, other food processing, office services like scan/print/internet/email….

Technology

The solar panel will be placed on a metal stand, which allows daily cleaning to maintain its power for battery charging and processing work. Also, the stand allows turning around of the panel, by adjusting the direction, an optimal output from the sunlight may be obtained in case of need.

Special attention will be given to train the processing team in technical aspects of the photovoltaic power system. This includes the handling of the precious inverter, the regular cleaning of the panel and the maintenance of the acid batteries.

Solar reflector used for tomato processing © TAMPA	Processing of tomatoes in Tembien © TAMPA	Tomato paste sterile packed into PET-bags © TAMPA

Quantified Tomato Value Chain

The quantified tomato processing value chain design (liquid and dry):

Financial Plan

Costs

   Fix costs (= overheads) = 83,943 birr
+ Variable costs          = 50,877 birr       

Total costs = 134,820 birr

Annual turnover

Liquid tomato products:
1,260 bags of paste, 500 g x 25.0 birr = 31,500 birr
3,150 bags of paste, 200 g x 12.0 birr = 37,800 birr
1,470 bottles of juice, 0.5l x 12.0 birr = 17,640 birr
Dry tomato products:
3,360 bags of slices, 200 g x 10.5 birr = 35,280 birr
2,520 bags of powder, 30 g x 5.0 birr = 12,600 birr 

Total turnover = 134,820 birr

Investment costs and depreciation

Description	Purchase prize (ETB)per unit	Purchase prize (ETB)total	Supplier	Depreciation years	Depreciation (ETB)/a
2 solar panels, 90 Wp	6,000	12,000	LYDETCO 0911207283	20	600
1 regulator, 12 V/20A	2,500	2,500	LYDETCO 0911207283	10	250
2 lorry batteries, 12 V/120 Ah	4,000	8,000	Mekele shops	4	2,000
1 metal stand for solar panels	2,500	2,500	Sami metal shop Mekele	20	125
1 wooden/metal box for batteries (60x70x40cm), with metal cover	1,600	1,600	Carpenter Mekele	10	160
Cables, fuses, switches, sockets	1,000	1,000	Mekele shops	5	200
1 Inverter, sine 500 W, with switch/fuse	20,000	20,000	LYDETCO 0911207283	5	4,000
4 Solar cookers, parabolic dish, SK 14	4,500	18,000	Bereket Solar Addis Abeba (0911 225131)	20	900
1 Mixer, 220 V, 200 – 400 W	1,000	1,000	Mekele shops	1	1,000
1 Sealing machine, twin sealing, 220V, 65W	8,300	8,300	Germany / TAMPA	10	830
1 Balance, digital, 0 – 5000g	500	500	Addis Abeba shops	2	250
1 Balance, analog, 20kg	500	500	Mekele market & shops	5	100
1 Balance, analog, 20kg	500	500	Mekele market & shops	5	100
1 Water container with water tap and metal stand, 20 liters for tomato washing	2,000	2,000	Mekele metal workshops	10	200
Sieves, spoons, washing pans, baskets	1,000	1,000	Mekele market	2	500
1 Sterilization kettle, 20 liter	1,500	1,500	Mekele market & shops	10	150
1 Sterilization thermometer (110°Celsius)	300	300	Mekele market & shops	3	100
1 Working table, 3m x 1m	2,000	2,000	Mekele carpenter	3	100
1 solar dryer, 5m x 2m	15,000	15,000	Mekele metal workshops	10	1,500

For more details on the business plan, please see this article.

Further Information

• TAMPA
• GIZ Sustainable land management, Ethiopia
• Ethiopia Energy Situation
• Energy within Food and Agricultural Value Chains
• PoweringAg Technology Database - Solar Technologies