Incremental Cost of Overdrying Farmers’ Stock Peanuts

A study was conducted to determine the incremental costs of drying farmers’ stock peanuts below the current practice of 10% moisture content wet basis. Three loads of peanuts from the same field were dried using air heated no more than 11° C (20° F) above ambient and no higher than 35° C (95° F) from 10% wet basis to a nominal 9, 7, and 5 1/2% wet basis. The cost, including additional propane, electricity and labor, increased from $2.36/Mg of peanuts dried to 9% to $47.51/Mg of peanuts dried to 5 1/2%. The value of the peanuts dried from 10 to 9% moisture content decreased $8.95/Mg. A reduction in value of $40.97/Mg occurred when the peanuts were dried from 10 to 7%. Peanuts dried from 10 to 5 1/2% were reduced $96.92/Mg in value. Shelling outturns from each trailer indicated that milling losses in terms of dry matter decomposition, split kernels and bald kernels increased as the final moisture content decreased.