DEHYDRATORS
California prune growers have gone for
cooperative dehydrators in a big way by
investing more than $1,000,000 in 10
plants having 146 tunnels and a combined
seasonal capacity cf some 43,000 tons of
green fruit—about l/lO of the state’s
annual prune production,
Ihe plants have all been built during the
last 11 years since growers took hold of
the idea conceived by the late Frank a,
Randall, Napa County field representative
of the California Prune and Apricot Grow
ers Association.
The first definite action was taken in
1933, when 46 growers net to discuss pool
ing original investment costs to set up
a dehydrating plant, a committee study
of organization and financing plans re
sulted in formal action.6 months later to
start a co-op dryer and, after the Bank
for Cooperatives indicated its willingness
to provide half the finaneihg, it was de
cided to buy a..site for the dehydrator
adjoining the associations Napa plant.
Thirty-four growers originally signed
merabership contracts, agreeing tc deliver
500 dry tons'ef. fruit and to pay an ini
tial $30 per dry ton toward building the
plant. *»hen seven members agreed to pay.
Their capital investment charges in full,
only $5000 in borrowed funds was needed
to begin construction at once, a contract
was let and the building, estimated tc
cost $15,000 was constructed for $14,937.
The pioneering Napa plant ha? been expand
ing steadily since. >«ith an ll year record
of having dried nearly 38,000,green tens
of prupes, it now has nine tunnels, a large
receiving platform, fruit spreader and
washer, tray washer, hydraulic lifts.and
ample trackage and storage facilities.
Today it; represents an expenditure of
$67,237, of which $5000 was spent in pre
paration for its current season through
construction of a new covered storage area
and raising of the old warehouse for pal
letized storage.
Once the Napa plant was going full blast,
ether association members followed suit.
Cooperative dehydrator associations were
farmed at Healdsburg and Campbell in 1938.
The Healdsburg dryer handles around 2000
to 3000 green tens of fruit a year and the
Campbell plant, largest in the world, has
a capacity of about 12,500 tons.
None of the cooperative dryers is the
property of the California Prune and «.pri
cct Growers association. Each dryer is
owned and controlled wholly by a group of
growers who are members of a local unit of
the association.
The association board of directors has
authorized setting up of a dhydration
advisory committee to study and ovaluate
the experiences of cooperative dryers now
in operation and to advise new groups on
construction and operation cf dehydration
plants.
The dehydrating plants have been found
much mere satisfactory than the former
dry-yard methods. The grower can deliver
his product and then attend to his orchards
without delay often caused by dry-yard tasks
/
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