Republic of the Philippines
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Philippine Center for Postharvest
Development and Mechanization
CLSU Compound, Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija

NEWS STORIES

Corn machines demonstrate PHilMech, local industry’s capabilities
by (September 11, 2019)
The Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PHilMech) said that the availability of three corn farming machines from its menu of farm technologies clearly demonstrates the capability of the agency and the local agriculture equipment industry to develop machines that are of good quality and could compete with those imported from other countries.

“The local metal industry has the potential to manufacture quality farm machines and equipment if given the proper support. The vision is for the Philippines to manufacture most of its farm machinery requirements in five to six years,” PHilMech Executive Director Baldwin Jallorina said in a statement after the agency accredited in November last year three local firms to manufacture under license the farm equipment the agency designed and developed.
The three four technologies for corn planting are: Corn Planter, Corn Picker, and Corn Sheller.

The Corn Planter takes away the drudgery of manually planting corn without using any type of machine. It plants uniformly at a desired seed depth, hill and row spacing. The fertilizer rate and depth could also be set to suit the soil requirement. Thus, more uniform plant population, better crop growth rate and improve yield could be easily achieved with the use of the PHilMech-developed Corn Planter.

Made from locally-sourced materials, the Corn Planter is attached to a farm tractor and could sow seeds and apply fertilizer simultaneously at a rate of 2.5 hectares in 8 hours. Using manual labor, it would take one whole day to the same task in just one hectare of land. PHilMech-developed Corn Planter could be operated by 2 persons.

It is manufactured by ACT Machineries and Metal Craft Corporation based in Cauayan, Isabela.

The milling of corn is also addressed by the PHilMech-developed Corn Sheller, which has an impressive capacity of 2 to 2.5 tons per hour shelling capacity at 25-35% moisture content. It limits the percentage of damaged kernels to around 2%. It is powered by a 16-hp gas engine or 12-hp diesel engine, with fuel consumption rated at around 1.2 liters per hour.

The Corn Sheller reduces substantial losses incurred in manual and other corn shelling methods. This ensure less grain breakage and kernel fissures as well as prevent possible mycotoxin contamination through better shelling and minimized mechanical injury of corn kernels.

PHilMech has licensed PI Farms Products Inc. based in Valenzuela, Metro Manila and
Marvel Corn Sheller and Machinery Supply in Maramag, Bukidnon as the manufacturers of the Corm Sheller.

Meanwhile, the Corn Picker harvests matured corn cobs. Also attached to a farm tractor, the Corn Picker can harvest corn cobs at a rate of 1 hectare per day and is operated by 2 persons. Using manual labor, it would take more than one day to harvest corn from 1 hectare of land.