'No food crisis in the country if post-harvest losses is addressed'
The country will not suffer from hunger or food crisis if post-harvest losses is addressed. Post-harvest production in rice, corn, fruits and vegetables in the country is estimated to reach P50 billion a year.
Bureau of Postharvest Research and Extension (BPRE) Executive Director Ricardo Cachuela said the estimated P50 billion losses was incurred in 2006. The estimated losses do not include the fishery and livestock sector. "The post-harvest losses affect the food security of the country and annual losses could have been saved if there is proper post-harvest practice."
Cachuela in his State of the Postharvest Industry (SOPI) report disclosed the post-harvest losses in rice is 14.84 percent; corn 12.70 percent; fruits 23.32 percent and vegetables 42 percent. Post-harvest losses may be incurred due to improper practice in harvesting, threshing, drying, distribution and storage or housing of the produce. "Post-harvest losses negates any yield in production and reduce the income of farmers," noted Cachuela.
In yesterday's 30th Postharvest Research and Extension anniversary, Cachuela said poor post-harvest practices hinder modernization in the agriculture sector. The government is pushing for the modernization of the agriculture sector to improve the quality and quantity of the farmers' harvests and to reduce post-harvest losses especially on grain drying. BPRE is based in the Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija.
Cachuela identified the causes in the post-harvest losses as antiquated post-harvest technologies, low adoption of new post-harvest technologies, inappropriate post-harvest technology and lack of post-harvest facilities or infrastructure and enforcement of standard.
A strong republic, food sufficiency, increase in income of the farmers and billions of pesos in losses is reduced if the desired industry is attained with new technologies. There should be advancement of technologies, said Cachuela.
In yesterday's post-harvest festival, the certificates of award for 45 units of flatbed dryers (with moisture meter), two units cold storage and one unit refrigerated truck were given to the different irrigator's association in Western Visayas. The refrigerated truck was given to the Taytay sa Kauswagan Inc (TSKI). Four development plans were likewise approved for release for the provinces of Iloilo, Aklan, Capiz and Negros Occidental.