SOLAR DRYER. Northern Samar Governor Edwin Ongchuan (right) receives a check from Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Eastern Visayas Regional Director Ernesto Granada to fund the solar dryer project. Rice farmers in the province could dry their produce faster and reduce wastage using this local technology. (Photo courtesy of DOST)
TACLOBAN CITY – Rice farmers in Northern Samar province can dry their produce faster and reduce wastage after the government provided them with 30 units of locally-developed technology multi-purpose grains solar speed drying trays.
Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Eastern Visayas regional director Ernesto Granada said Wednesday their office and the Northern Samar provincial government recently turned over the PHP1.09 million worth of drying trays to farmers in the first legislative district of Northern Samar.
Governor Edwin Ongchuan allocated some PHP800,000 counterpart from the provincial government for management and monitoring activities.
The project, according to Granada, utilizes a Filipino-invented technology called Portasol. These are stackable sets of aluminum thermal drying trays that can accommodate 150 kilograms of palay (unhusked rice) per drying session and could dry palay under direct sunlight for 12 to 18 hours.
“The trays are made of aluminum, a known good heat conductor which speeds up the drying of palay up to three times faster than pavement drying. The technology is also expected to increase the quantity of the dried rice production of our farmers and also improve its quality which is adversely affected by frequent rains in the province,” Granada added.
A satisfactory drying quality is obtainable even if the trays are stacked five to ten tiers high, according to DOST. Farmers have the option to spread each tray in an open field.
Granada said the technology minimizes wastage compared to the usual practice of spreading the grains directly into a pavement.
The provision of dryers is one of DOST's Community Empowerment thru Science and Technology projects meant to create economic development and prevent road accidents caused by palay drying on roadsides. (PNA)
