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High post-harvest loss due
to lack of effective and efficient postharvest handling facilities
was one of the major concerns faced by the Philippines’
top corn producing provinces, Isabela and Bukidnon.
But thanks
to the facility development project of the Department of Agriculture
– Bureau of Postharvest Research and Extension (DA-BPRE),
post-harvest losses in these provinces had been reduced.
The project,
with P1.4 million fund support from the DA-Bureau of Agricultural
Research (DA-BAR), developed bulk handling facilities for
proper corn handling operation during harvesting, shelling,
drying activities. These included corn crib, container cart
(1-ton capacity), bulk trailer (4.5-ton capacity) and bulk
storage bins.
Based
on the project’s impact assessment conducted by Arlene
C. Joaquin et. al., the introduction of bulk handling facilities
and systems resulted in decreased postharvest losses. In Isabela,
postharvest losses were reduced from 9.67% to 5.59% during
the wet season and from 9.41% to 4.01% during the dry season.
In Bukidnon,
total postharvest losses decreased from 10.87% to 5.58% during
the wet season and from 8.12% to 5% during the dry season.
The
financial performance of the participating cooperatives increased
due to the premium price they obtained with the use of the
recommended system. The cooperatives posted an increase in
Internal Rate of Return (IRR) from 53.24% to 73.80% in Bukidnon
and from 22.14% to 28.61% in Isabela.
With these
benefits, the impact assessment report recommends the use
of corn bulk handling facilities and system in corn postharvest
handling operations among cooperatives. The project can be
a model for the improvement of the corn handling in the country.
(Marisa A. Alumaga, S&T Media Service)
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