VEGETABLE AND FRUIT DEHYDRATION 



183 



Table 20. — Labor cost per dry pound in vegetable dehydration plants handling 

 50 tons per day, unprepared basis — Continued 



1 Average hourly output per 24-hour day. 



2 Assumed hourly labor rates: Men, 75 cents; women, 60 cents; foreman, $1.25; forewoman. 85 cents. 

 Xumber of employees taken from table 18. 



3 Indirect labor is estimated as follows: 



Since this indirect labor charge will be applicable to 3 shifts the approximate cost to each hour's out- 

 put will be }i, or $2.05 to $2.55. 



Position 



Bookkeepers 



Stenographer, _. 

 Payroll clerk... 

 Superintendent 



Field man 



Plant chemist.. 



Total 



Xumber of 



employees 



(1 shift per 



day) 



lor 2 



1 



lor 2 



1 

 1 



1 



6 to 8 



Cost per 

 hour 



$0. 75-$l. 50 



.65 



. 75- 1. 50 



1.50 



1.25 



1.25 



15- 7. 65 



Other direct and overhead costs have not been included in this cal- 

 culation. Some operators believe that total overhead costs should not 

 average more than 50 percent of direct labor, while others say that 

 these costs may be equal to or even greater than the cost of direct labor. 

 Still others believe that overhead costs have no relation to labor and 

 cannot be accurately estimated on a labor basis. Wide variations occur 

 from plant to plant because overhead costs in vegetable dehydration 

 depend on such factors as the length of the operating season, cost of 

 buildings and equipment, local conditions, and managerial policies. 

 The complexity of these interrelated factors is such that no general 

 estimates of overhead costs have been attempted. 



The cost figures, although not complete, are useful guides within the 

 indicated limits. A prospective operator can combine these figures 

 with data specifically related to his proposed operation and thus more 

 accurately estimate what his costs are likely to be. 



The figures are based upon continuous operation which is rarely 

 experienced in commercial plants. Where operations are interrupted 

 or discontinuous, suitable corrections must be applied. It is apparent, 

 also, that the cost estimates must be adjusted in any particular situa- 

 tion according to labor rates, shrinkage ratios, and operating- 

 procedures. 



HANDLING SPECIFIC VEGETABLE AND FRUIT CROPS 



Vegetables 



In the following pages information is presented on the dehydration 

 of specific vegetables. The process and to some extent the equipment 

 required in dehydration vary with the product, and in addition the 

 products vary in requirement for rehydration. The information that 

 follows is more detailed for those crops that are dried in large quan- 

 tities than for others. For convenience, information bearing on certain 

 steps has been assembled in tables 21 to 26. 



Table 21 shows the type of piece, blancher loadings, and time of 

 blanching for 18 vegetables. Since it is important that the plant 

 operator know the moisture content of the material to be used, the 

 approximate ranges in moisture content of the vegetables are shown 



