Department of Agriculture unit needs P312 million for post-harvest tramlines

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Center for Post-Harvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech), an agency under the Department of Agriculture, will need P312 million for the construction of more tramlines to reduce post-harvest transport losses from 25 percent to just five percent.

PhilMech plans to complete a total of 107 tramlines before the end of this year. About half or 53 tramlines have been completed as of June 2011.

For 2012 to 2016, PhilMech is eyeing 156 more tramlines in various parts of the country, each costing around P2 million, for a span of one to two kilometers.

Of the 156 tramlines to be built, 89 will be established in Luzon.

While PhilMech will spend for the construction of the new tramlines, the cooperation of the local government units (LGUs) and farmer organizations is needed for the maintenance and operation of the system.

According to PhilMech executive director Ricardo L. Cachuela, “the success of the tramline project, especially in the very mountainous areas, has been very encouraging.

“Transport costs for agricultural produce are reduced by half, post-harvest losses are decreased and transport time is faster,” he added.

Based on PhilMech field studies, agricultural products transported by porters, horse or mules along mountainous areas result in losses of as much 25 percent. With tramlines, post-harvest losses are reduced to as low as five percent.

Porters who use horses and mules to transport agricultural products through mountainous areas charge at least P10 per kilo. With the use of tramlines, the transport costs amounts to just P5 per kilo.

“Reduced transport cost and post-harvest losses can easily translate into additional income for farmers,” Cachuela said.

He added that besides agricultural produce, the new tramlines can also be designed to carry a number of people, usually four. The tramlines can also be used to transport farm inputs like fertilizers and chemicals.

PhilMech has designed four prototypes of tramlines.