Subic firm develops portable solar drier

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT, Philippines – Farmers who lack drying facilities to dry their crops, particularly rice, no longer face a problem.

This after  Grain Pro Inc., an American company that manufactures grain storage and drying systems in this freeport, launched its patented solar bubble dryer (SBD) that provides a solution to challenges faced by farmers.

The SBD is a collapsible drying facility for commodities such as coffee, cocoa, rice, wheat, corn, millet, and beans.

It can hold up to one metric ton in one drying cycle while protecting the commodities from rain and ultraviolet (UV) rays, said Dr. Pat Borlagdan, the firm’s manager for research and development.

 The drying facility is made from durable materials.

It’s transparent polyethylene cover is UV-resistant and water repellent, while its drying floor is made of sturdy plastic materials to ensure that water does not penetrate from below in case of heavy rain.

Borlagdan said that the SBD is a technology developed with food security as its ultimate goal.

“As such, it will help address inadequate agri-based technologies in order to help farmers ensure higher crop yield, thereby, ultimately translating to higher food production and enough food supply for the Filipinos,” he said.

A recent study showed that around 12 percent of prime agricultural commodities are lost during the post-harvest drying process due to unpredictable weather conditions and lack of drying facilities.

The SBD would help farming communities in the critical post-harvest process because it dries grains and seeds to the right moisture content, safely and efficiently under any weather condition, keeping it from infestation and fungus, he said.

 According to Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) chairman Roberto Garcia, the drying facility is “proudly Subic-made,” pointing out that the firm’s products are principally manufactured by its wholly-owned subsidiary, the GrainPro Philippines Inc.

Garcia said that the Subic-made drying system would be a big boost to local farmers and farm producers.

“Here in the surrounding communities, we often see farmers drying their grain products on the roadside and a lot of these go to waste. The solar bubble dryer can boost the productivity of these farmers, as well as our national food stock,” he said.

GrainPro’s development of the SBD was in partnership with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and Germany’s Hohenheim University.