Mesh Dryer in Belarus

The Challenge: From Seasonal Bottlenecks to Steady Output

The customer is a mid-sized vegetable processing business near Brest, an area known for rich soil and high yields of root vegetables like carrots, beets, and potatoes, as well as leafy greens such as spinach. They supply local supermarkets with fresh-cut produce but have always wanted to expand into dried vegetable mixes — especially dried spinach, carrot dices, and beet flakes.

However, until last year, their drying step was a major pain point. They used an old drum dryer and makeshift sun-drying sheds that depended on weather conditions. In peak harvest weeks, the raw material often spoiled before it could be dried and packaged. Energy costs were unpredictable, drying quality was inconsistent, and they lost customers who demanded uniform moisture content and color.

That's why they turned to RICHI and invested in a new mesh dryer in Belarus — not a whole new line, but a single, robust piece of industrial drying equipment that would connect seamlessly to their existing cutting and sorting line.

Choosing the Right Mesh Dryer for Belarusian Conditions

Given Belarus's cold winters and humid autumns, the mesh dryer in Belarus had to be adaptable, energy-efficient, and able to run reliably for long shifts.

After discussing capacity, product type, and budget, RICHI's engineering team recommended the DHG-500 mesh dryer for this project:

• Model: DHG-500
• Heating Type: Electric heating — the processor has stable grid access and wanted precise temperature control for sensitive vegetable color and nutrients.
• Power: 50 kW main heating, plus 2.2 kW × 2 + 0.75 kW for conveyors and fans.
• Number of Mesh Belt Layers: 5
• Belt Width: 1.0 meter
• Drying Area: 21 m²

This configuration matched their throughput target of about 1–2 tons of raw chopped vegetables per day, depending on moisture level and slice thickness.

The Raw Materials: Belarusian Vegetables Ready for Export

The company's drying plan focuses on three main raw materials:

• Spinach: Washed, blanched, and cut into strips for use in instant soups and seasonings.
• Carrot Cubes: Peeled and diced into 5–8 mm pieces for soup mixes and snack blends.
• Beet Flakes: Thinly sliced for dried salad toppings and healthy snack packs.

Previously, too much of this produce was wasted if the weather turned rainy during drying season. With the new mesh dryer in Belarus, they can process daily harvests regardless of outside conditions.

How the mesh dryer in Belarus Changed Their Operations

The new mesh dryer in Belarus runs on a multi-layer continuous belt, pulling warm, controlled air through the stacked mesh levels. This means the vegetables dry evenly, retaining their color and nutrients — something the old drum dryer struggled to achieve.

The electric heating allows fine control over drying temperature and airflow. For example, spinach dries best at lower temperatures to keep its bright green color. Carrots and beets need slightly higher heat to ensure shelf stability without losing natural sweetness.

For this Belarusian processor, the biggest wins are:

• Predictable Drying Time: No more relying on the sun or worrying about a sudden rainstorm ruining batches.
• Better Product Quality: Less shrinkage, brighter colors, and consistent moisture content — all of which help them command a better price when selling dried vegetable mixes to European buyers.
• Energy Efficiency: The old drum dryer was a power hog with uneven heat loss. The RICHI mesh dryer is insulated and engineered for minimal heat escape.
• Flexible Output: They can easily switch from spinach to carrots to beets by adjusting belt speed and temperature, all without downtime.

A Simple Investment, a Big Step Forward

This customer chose not to invest in a whole new factory. Instead, they picked one smart upgrade: a reliable, efficient mesh dryer to tackle their biggest weak spot.

They kept their existing washing, cutting, and sorting line. The only change was how they dry the produce. Now, the dried output feeds into their packing machine, ready for local sale or export.

Mesh Dryer and Market Trends in Belarus

More Belarusian processors are looking at value-added exports. Dried vegetables are a growing niche: lighter to transport, longer shelf life, and ready to use in the kitchens of Europe and Asia.

By using a mesh dryer in Belarus, this company can produce premium vegetable flakes and dices that meet strict moisture standards. This opens doors to new supermarket chains, soup mix manufacturers, and healthy snack brands.

Why RICHI's Mesh Dryer Was the Right Fit

The decision to go with a RICHI mesh dryer in Belarus wasn't made overnight. The company tested other options but chose RICHI for these reasons:

• Custom Settings for Vegetables: RICHI engineers fine-tuned airflow patterns and conveyor speed to handle delicate leafy greens and root crops with different drying needs.
• Proven Performance: Many European buyers demand third-party tests for moisture content and color preservation. The mesh dryer produces stable results batch after batch.
• Remote Support: With Belarus’s language preference for Russian, RICHI’s team provided installation guidance and training in Russian, making onboarding simple for local operators.
• Low Maintenance: The modular conveyor system is easy to clean and inspect, critical for food safety compliance.

Local Sourcing and Green Goals

This project also supports local farmers. By drying more vegetables instead of discarding surplus or selling cheaply to feedlots, the processor adds value to every kilogram harvested.

Better yet, dried spinach and carrot cubes have a far smaller carbon footprint than frozen exports — an advantage that Belarusian companies highlight when negotiating contracts with EU buyers concerned about sustainability.

Looking Ahead: More Drying, More Products

This processor is already exploring adding small-scale fruit drying in the off-season — apples and berries are next on the list. The same mesh dryer can easily handle thin-sliced apples or berry pulp sheets with minimal adjustment.

They're also discussing expanding their vegetable line to include mushroom slices, which need gentle drying to keep texture and aroma.

RICHI's modular mesh dryer design means they can upgrade capacity or add parallel units later, using the same proven drying principle.

A Message to Other Belarusian Processors

If you're a vegetable, fruit, or herb producer in Belarus struggling with drying bottlenecks, this story proves how much impact a single mesh dryer can have. You don't always need to build an expensive new line — you can modernize step by step.

By investing in the right mesh belt dryer, continuous conveyor dryer, or vegetable drying system, you protect your harvest from spoilage, raise product quality, and keep your buyers happy year-round.

Contact RICHI Today

Whether you're drying spinach leaves, carrot dices, beet flakes, or apple slices, a RICHI mesh dryer in Belarus gives you a reliable backbone for stable production. Backed by experienced engineers, detailed support, and practical training, you're never alone in solving your drying challenges.

Ready to upgrade your drying capacity like this Belarusian processor? Reach out to RICHI Machinery today — our team is always here to help you design a mesh drying solution that fits your budget, your raw materials, and your growth plans.