Camarines sur: Farmers from five towns in the first district of Camarines Sur will have improved access to drying and milling facilities through the PHP72-million Rice Processing System (RPS) II established by the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (DA-PhilMech) under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) Rice Mechanization Component.
According to Philippines News Agency, the new facility will serve at least 6,982 hectares of rice-producing areas in the district, helping farmers reduce postharvest losses, especially during the rainy season. Lovella Guarin, DA Bicol spokesperson, highlighted the RPS's role in enhancing rice quality and minimizing losses by providing facilities for drying, milling, and other postharvest processes.
The facility includes a multi-stage rice mill with the capacity to process two to three tons of rice per hour. It is equipped with essential machinery such as a pre-cleaner, de-stoner, huller, mist polisher, length grader, color sorter, blending tank, and automatic packing machine. Additionally, it features a rice hull bin, dust collection system, and an air-conditioned control room.
The facility is also outfitted with five stainless steel recirculating dryers, each capable of drying six tons of palay per batch. Operating at full capacity, these dryers can process up to 30,000 kilograms, or about 600 sacks of palay, within eight to 10 hours. This drying capacity is crucial during periods of frequent rainfall when immediate drying is necessary to prevent deterioration and quality losses.
The Cabusao facility is the 14th RPS established by PhilMech in the Bicol Region. During Phase 1, three RPS facilities were set up in Albay, four in Camarines Sur, one in Masbate, and three in Sorsogon. Plans for additional facilities in Catanduanes and Camarines Norte are underway for Phase 2.
Noel Dawal, president of the Camagong San Vicente Farmers Irrigators Association Inc., expressed that the facility will address a recurring issue for their group, which consists of 165 members cultivating 282 hectares of rice fields. The facility will help protect harvested palay from spoilage, particularly during the rainy season. Dawal emphasized that the RPS II is a significant aid to farmers, providing a place to dry and mill their palay.
