Rice sufficiency “attainable” this year

CEBU, Philippines - The Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech) is confident that the Aquino administration can make the country attain rice sufficiency by the end of 2013.

This, after Pres. Benigno S. Aquino III proclaimed that the year 2013 is the National Year of Rice under Proclamation No. 494 in October last year.

The National Year of Rice is part of the Philippine government's bid to achieve rice-self-sufficiency beginning this year. It is an advocacy campaign that aims to promote responsible rice consumption for better health and less rice wastage and productive farming through the promotion of efficient rice technologies and inspiring farmers to do better.

It also aims to promote better health among rice consumers and improve the income of farmers.

PhilMech executive director Rex Bingabing said that PhilMech has been solidly behind the Aquino administration in making the Philippines self-sufficient in rice by programming and coordinating the distribution of farm machineries under the Department of Agriculture's Rice Mechanization Program.

He added that PhilMech is accelerating the commercialization of the technologies it developed and co-developed with various government agencies and private sector, including that for other crops.

PhilMech is currently improving the way it does its research and development activities, with Bingabing pushing for the "short in duration, high on impact" scheme.

According to Bingabing, by the time PhilMech celebrates its 35th founding anniversary this year, the agency hopes to have at least 30 matured farm postharvest and mechanization technologies.

PhilMech also sources farm technologies that have been developed by the private sector or other parties, for use in the Philippine farming setting.

Last year, PhilMech coordinated the distribution of 193 mechanized driers, 637 hand tractors, 58 four-wheel tractors, 423 palay threshers, 36 rice mills, 23 rice drum seeders, 97 rice reapers, 156 rice cutter or harvester and 80 rice combine harvester.

For this year, PhilMech will coordinate the distribution of 278 mechanized driers, 652 hand tractors, 99 four-wheel tractors, 483 palay threshers, 9 rice mills, 418 rice drum seeders, 322 rice cutter or harvester and 76 rice combine harvester.

In addition, PhilMech will coordinate this year the distribution of 22 medium multi-crop combine harvester, 42 mini rice combine harvester, 75 pedal-powered rice thresher, 215 power tillers with floating trailers and 750 fertilizer spreader. — Marigold P. Lebumfacil/JPM

Under the existing program of the Department of Agriculture, the government shoulders 85% of the cost of farm machines and postharvest equipment that are dispersed to qualified farmer organizations like irrigators' associations. The 15% is shouldered by the qualified farmer group.

Bingabing said that the goal of mechanizing palay planting operations, specifically land preparation, planting and harvesting, is to increase output at around 5%.

On the other hand, reducing postharvest losses can potentially result in another 5% to palay output at the farm level.

"If we can increase palay production by 10% by fully addressing mechanization and postharvest issue, this would greatly help the country attain rice self-sufficiency," said Bingabing.

He added that the mechanization of rice planting will reduce the drudgery in the areas of land preparation, planting and harvesting, and help farmers cope with the effects of climate change.

On the level of farm mechanization in the Philippines on rice farms, Bingabing said that is possibly around 1.60 horsepower per hectare, which is higher than the average for all farms which is one hp/ha.

PhilMech is currently undertaking a survey on farm mechanization covering the period 2007 to 2012 and based on the number and types of farm machines deployed or distributed during that time.

The agency will also continue its support to other crops like corn, vegetables, coconut, cocoa and coffee, among others. — (FREEMAN)