PhilMech launches new brown rice tech

THE Philippine Center for PostHarvest Mechanization and Development (PhilMech) in partnership with a farmer-organization in Murcia, Negros Occidental recently launched their project “Brown Rice Processing Impeller Technology” at the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) in Murcia, Negros.

Prior to the launching, PhilMech conducted a twoday business planning workshop with RiceBIS farmers. The discussion covered managerial, financial, organizational, technical, and economic aspects of business planning. This activity was spearheaded by Dr. Michael Gragasin, project lead of the “Brown Rice Processing Impeller Technology”.

The technology will be the first rice-based enterprise of the organization. Farmers will consolidate a portion of their harvest and sell it to their cooperative to be processed as brown rice. Farmers from Victorias City are also part of this project. They will assist Murcia farmers in marketing their product.

This venture is expected to be profitable with its 72% milling recovery. It can mill both white and brown rice depending on which switch you select. However, more focus is given to brown rice as it is the banner product of this impeller technology.

PhilRice Negros’ RiceBIS Community Project Team formed the said farmer-organization. This is in line with the project’s objective of increasing farmers’ income and linking them to business development service providers.

Representatives from PhilRice-CES, National Irrigation Administration, Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation, Office of the Provincial Agriculture, Department of Agrarian Reform, and Municipal/City Agriculturist of Murcia and Victorias were present during the launching.