Crop Drying Time Calculator & Dry to Safe Moisture

It's a mass-balance: the dry matter stays constant while water leaves. Final weight = wet weight × (1 − initial moisture) ÷ (1 − final moisture), and water removed = wet − dried. For example, 1000 kg of paddy at 24% dried to 14% loses about 116 kg of water and weighs ~884 kg. The tool computes this exactly.

It depends on the method and conditions. The tool estimates time from a moisture-point removal rate: roughly 0.6 points/hour in open sun, ~1.0 in a solar dryer, and more in a heated mechanical dryer (rising with air temperature). It then converts to sun-days (about 7 effective sun-hours per day) or dryer run-hours.

The moisture level at which grain stores without moulding or insect build-up — about 14% for paddy, 12% for wheat, 13% for maize, 12% for soybean, 9–10% for groundnut and pulses, and lower for spices. The tool defaults the target to each crop's safe moisture and warns if your target is still too wet.

Removing water needs heat: about 2.26 MJ per kg of water evaporated. Dividing by the dryer's efficiency (default 50%) gives the fuel energy, which the tool also expresses in kWh and litres of diesel (≈38.6 MJ/L). It's an estimate — real dryers vary with design, airflow and ambient conditions.

Because you're removing water, which has weight. The 'shrinkage' is purely the water lost — the valuable dry matter (starch, protein, oil) is conserved. This is why grain is traded on a moisture basis: buyers adjust for the water you'd otherwise be selling as grain.

Sun drying is free but slow, weather-dependent and risks contamination and over-drying. Solar dryers are faster and cleaner. Mechanical dryers are fastest and weather-proof but cost fuel. The tool lets you compare the time (and energy for mechanical) so you can choose for your batch and season.

Yes. Drying grain too fast or too hot causes cracking (especially in paddy, lowering milling quality), and over-drying below the safe moisture wastes energy and loses sellable weight. Aim for the safe storage moisture at a moderate temperature, and rest/temper the grain between passes in mechanical drying.

The mass-balance for water removed is valid for any crop. The time estimate is tuned for grains and seeds; very high-moisture produce (like fresh chilli or turmeric going from 70–80% down) will take longer in reality and usually needs repeated sun-days or a dryer. Use the water-removed figure as the firm number.

Use a grain moisture meter for a quick, reliable reading, or the oven method (weigh, dry at 130 °C, re-weigh) for accuracy. Measure at several points in the lot, as moisture varies. Enter your starting moisture and the safe target, and the tool does the rest.

Hot grain straight from a dryer will sweat and re-absorb moisture when bagged, encouraging mould. Let it cool to near ambient before storage. The tool tells you the dried weight and safe moisture; always cool and store in a dry, ventilated, pest-proof structure.