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

SUCCESS STORIES

HI-FARM and the Community Drying Centers
by (July 16, 2012)
Drying used to be one of the major problems of the grain farmers in Calabanga, Camarines Sur. This is especially true during the rainy season when the grains start to deteriorate because farmers cannot dry their harvests under the sun.

Through the Community Drying Centers (CDC) set up by PHilMech through the project entitled, “Sustainability of Community-Based Grain Drying Center Established as Public Investment”, farmer- members of the Hinigyanan Integrated Farmer’s Association (HI-FARM) have no more worries. They can now dry their harvest at any time of the day, rain or shine.

The CDC is composed of a facility shed, mechanical dryer, biomass furnace, moisture meter, weighing scale, industrial fan and tarpaulin. Two CDCs have been established in Calabanga. The first CDC has a flatbed dryer with six tons capacity /batch while the second CDC has two batch recirculating dryers with a capacity of nine tons/batch retrofitted to a furnace.

Mr. Ernesto delos Reyes, chairman of HI-FARM, is very thankful for the CDC. “Hindi na namin ngayon problema ang pagpapatuyo.Dahil sa mga dryers na meron kami ngayon, nagkakaroon kami ng mas magandang kalidad ng tuyong ani na naibebenta namin sa mas mataas na presyo. Dahil din sa CDC, may napagkukuhanan pa kami ngayon ng pondo galling sa drying fee na nakokolekta namin sa mga nagpapatuyo sa center.” (Drying is not our problem anymore. Because of the dryers that we have now, we are able to produce better quality dried grains that we can sell at higher prices. Also, we now have a source of income coming from the drying fee that we collect from those who dry their produce in the center).”