ASSSESSMENT OF SELECTED RICE PROCESSING CENTERS IN THE 3RD DISTRICT OF

CAMARINES SUR

NEDRIC B. MANCERA

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS PROPOSAL SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND FOOD SCIENCE, CENTRAL BICOL STATE
UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS
FOR THE DEGREE OF BACHELOR OFSCIENCE IN AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING

NOVEMBER, 2021
 INTRODUCTION

In agriculture, Post-harvest is the stage of crop production

after harvest. The instant a crop is removed from the ground, or

separated from its parent plant, it begins to deteriorate. Postharvest

processing is performed to the harvested crops to directly prepare

food for consumption or for further processing.

The Philippines is an agricultural country where Rice is one the

main crops that is produced. The Philippines recorded its highest rice

production level at 19.44 million metric tons (MT) in 2020. According

to the country’s Department of Agriculture. (Rice Today, 2020)

Rice postharvest processing involves several operations, such as

drying, milling, and storage. Drying of grain involves exposing to

ambient air with low relative humidity or to heated air. This will

evaporate the moisture from the grain and then the drying air will

remove the moisture from the grain bulk. Rice milling process is all

about producing edible milled rice after separating the husk, the bran

layers, and clean rice. The milling process in large commercial mills

combines a number of operations that produce better quality and higher

yield of white rice from paddy or rough rice (Rice Knowledge Bank,

2010). A milling machine should ensure consistency in quality of the

end product and hence enhance the economic value of the raw material

(Vikaspedia). Storage of the processed rice is as crucial as the other

processes. The purpose of any grain storage facility is to provide

safe storage conditions for the grain in order to prevent grain loss
caused by adverse weather, moisture, rodents, birds, insects and

micro-organisms like fungi.

The Rice Processing Center is a project by the Department of

Agriculture, where the main objective is for farmers and its

beneficiaries to have a more efficient way of processing rice and

improve its production value. The Rice Processing Center is composed

of the following components: mechanical dryer, multi-pass rice mill

and a storage building. The main beneficiaries of the centers are the

farmers around the RPCs

In facilities like the Rice Processing Center, Information about

the performance of the machines and facilities is very important.

Assessment on the machines and facilities Rice Processing Center must

be conducted to determine on how well the centers perform and

determine the impact of the RPC to the farmers’ production and income.

Objectives of the Study

The general objective of the study is to evaluate the RPC on

selected areas in Camarines Sur which are the Rice Processing

Centers of San Isidro, Carolina and Magarao.

Specifically, it aims to:

1. evaluate the performance of drying, milling and storage

operations;

2. determine the operation and maintenance of the centers; and

3. assess its impact on farmers’ production and income.

Significance of the Study

Through this study, Rice Processing Centers of Carolina and

Magarao will be provided with the information about the results of

the assessment. Also this will determine how the respective Rice

Processing Centers are performing in its full potential. Feedback

and action can be made once the results of the study is given to the

respective RPCs and their farmers. Moreover, this study will also

benefit future researchers.

Scope and Delimitation of the study

This study will be limited to the assessment of the Rice

Processing Centers in Carolina and Magarao in Camarines Sur, one

RPC from the LGU’s and one from the Farmers’ Cooperative. The

technical aspects on drying milling and storage will be evaluated.

Specifications and Performance of the machines will be evaluated

for drying and milling aspects. As for storage, techniques and

methods of storage will be determines. Information on operation and

maintenance will also be gathered.

 Time and place of the study

The study will be conducted at the RPCs in the 3rd District of

Camarines Sur located in Naga City and Magarao from November 2021 to

February 2022.
 RELATED LITERATURE AND RELATED STUDIES

RELATED STUDIES

Folami, A. A., et al (2016) conducted a study about the

evaluation of the performance of a developed rice dehusking/destoning

machine. Rice processing machines produced in developed countries are

mostly unaffordable by rural farmers, hence there was need to develop

cost effective/efficient machines produced from available local

materials desirable in food industry that meets the need of the rural

farmers. This study was to evaluate the performance of a developed

rice dehusking/destoning machine at Federal University of Agriculture,

Abeokuta, Nigeria. Minitab 16 was used for analysis of variance of two

main factors [four paddy varieties Faro 35, Faro 44, Faro 55and Ofada

and five moisture content (MC) groups] to obtain its optimum

operational parameters. Cleaning efficiency, coefficient of dehulling,

coefficient of wholeness, dehulling efficiency, dehulling recovery and

output capacity were optimum at 94.60%, 0.63, 0.85, 50.54%, 61.22% and

18.53 kg/h respectively. The effect of MC and test paddy variety on

coefficient of wholeness and dehulling efficiency were significant

while only MC effect was significant at P<0.05 on cleaning efficiency.

Paddy varieties had effect on rice quality, long and slender grains

had more breakage than shorter grains. After further work of

improvement, its coefficient of dehulling, dehulling efficiency and

dehulling recovery were 0.82, 65 and 75% respectively.

 Das, et al. (2016) conducted a study about the evaluation of a

Traditional Rice Husking Mill. Rice milling process is an important

post-harvest operation. Present day most of the traditional husking

mills like Engleberg huller are being replaced by automatic and semi-

automatic mill. The study was undertaken to identify the present

status of Engleberg type rice husking mill in terms of capacity,

technology, quality, milling losses; identify and analyze the

financial performance, constraints; and recommend the priority

interventions for updating the rice husking mill. The capacity of the

mill was identified as 0.2 ton per hr and the capacity utilization was

found as 20.83%. The products of the husking mill were identified as

whole rice 62.5%, broken rice 7.5%, husk & bran 25%, and loss 5%

respectively. The annual operating cost was estimated as Tk. 101,998

per year. The operating cost was estimated as Tk. 56.67 per hour and

Tk. 283.35 per ton. The revenue was estimated as Tk. 225,000 per year

and net margin was estimated as Tk. 341.67 per ton. The benefit-cost

ratio was found to be 2.21 which indicate the business is very

profitable. The return on investment was estimated at 1.21, which

means that the capital will be returned within several years.

Engleberg huller mills are facing some problems which must overcome

for sustainability of this mill. The estimated financial performances

of the husking mill were found impressive and the business seems to be

sustainable. However, to compete with the quality rice produced form

automatic and semi-automatic rice mills improved modern technologies

to be adopted in the existing Engleberg type rice husking mills.

 Okunola, et al. (2019) conducted a study entitled Assessment of

Rice Processing Operations in Ekiti State, Nigeria. An investigation

survey was carried out to examine factors affecting processing and

quality of rice in Ekiti State, Nigeria. Nine major towns were

selected from six Local Government Areas involved in rice production

in the State. A structured questionnaire was used to collect

information from three hundred (300) rice processors. Findings

revealed that 47% of the processors were males and 53% are

females, 66.7% of the processors have family size ranged within 4

to 7 persons, 63.78% of them have only primary education and

22.67% have no formal education, 70% of rice is gotten from

middle men and 80% of the processors used their personal savings as

capitals. 70% of the milling machines used was obsolete being single

pass type characterized with high broken grains and 90% of the

processors depend on diesel engines to power the mills while 7% had

access to good storage facilities. None of the processors had accesses

to a rice de-stoner. The result obtained is used to improve the

processing deficiency of rice in Ekiti State.

Related Literature

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a staple food consumed by over half the

world population. The total world production of unmilled rice (paddy)

is around 592 million tonnes (Mt) (based on the average production for

2000 and 2001). Ninety percent of this total is grown in developing

countries, mostly in Asia, while Latin America and Africa produce 3.8

and 2.8 percent, respectively (FAOSTAT, 2001).

It is estimated that by 2025, 10 billion people will depend on

rice as a main food and demand will reach about 880 Mt. Many Asian

countries and international institutions agree to the strengthening of

national programmes for policy and financial support to research, seed

production and extension of hybrid rice (FAO, 2001). In fact, there

has been an expansion of area under high-yielding varieties (HYV), and

in 1998 more than 90 percent of irrigated areas in Asia were under

HYVs (Evenson, 1998). Methodology on the impact of the improvement of

productivity on postharvest operations has been developed by FAO for

several crops including rice (Phan, 1998). As HYVs are increasingly

used, the post-harvest system must be improved, including

infrastructure development and also the dissemination of technologies,

allowing small and medium farmers to prevent food losses and

consequently to achieve the food security which is a priority of FAO

in its fight against hunger.

The rice post-harvest system requires improvement in the use of

resources for research and development, particularly with regard to

the level of post-harvest losses. These losses are attributed to a

combination of factors during production and post-production

operations (De Padua, 1999).

According to the Section 29 – c of Article VII of the Republic

Act 10601 or the Agricultural and Fisheries Mechanization (AFMech) Law

states that in the undertake of the registration of agri-fishery

machinery and facilities, enforcement of the PAES and other

agricultural and fishery engineering regulatory activities in

coordination and collaboration with the concerned national government

agencies.
 METHODOLOGY

This chapter discusses the description of the research

methodology, the respondents, and the tools in gathering data.

A. EQUIPMENT

The following equipment were used in the study:

 Thermometer (range: 0°C to 100°C)

 Grain moisture meter (duly calibrated using the standard

method) Range: 12% to 24% (for paddy)

 Tachometer, contact type, range: 0-5000 rpm; or

Photoelectric, range: 0-5000 rpm

 Timers; Capacity: 60 minutes; Accuracy: 0.1 second

 Measuring tape (capacity: 5m)

 Noise level meter; Range: 30 to 130 dB (A)

 Weighing scale; Capacity: 100 kg; scale divisions: 0.5 kg

 Graduated cylinder (for engines) 500 mL capacity or watt-

hour meter (for electric motors); 60 Hz, 220 V

 Vernier Caliper Accuracy: 0.1 mm

 Pitot tube

 Manometer / Pressure gauge

 Air velocity meter

 Power meter (60 Hz, 220V)

  Scientific Calculator

 Marking pen and pencil

 Camera

 Bulk density meter

B. PROCEDURE

a. PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF DRYING, MILLING AND STORAGE

OPERATIONS

In the evaluation of the drying, milling and storage

operations on the respective RPCs, the verification of

specifications and testing will be based on the Philippine

Agricultural and Engineering Standards (PAES). For drying and

milling, Specification and Performance sheets from the Philippine

Agricultural and Engineering Standards (PAES) will be used. While

an interview will be conducted for the determining the storage

operations of the RPCs. The PAES standards that are going to be

used are the following:

1. PNS/PAES 202:2015 - Agricultural machinery – Heated air

mechanical grain dryer – Methods of test

2. PNS/PAES 207:2015 - Agricultural machinery – Rice mill –

Methods of test

3. PNS/PAES 419:2015 - Agricultural structures – Warehouse

for bag type storage of grains

 For Storage, an interview with the Officers in charge of the

respective RPCs will be conducted. The interviewees will be asked

of the following questions:

b. DETERMINE OF OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF CENTERS

Interview with the Officers in charge of the respective RPCs

will be conducted. Interviewees will be asked of questions

regarding on the operations in their respective centers and also

the maintenance of their machines, equipment, and the facility.

The interviewees will be asked of the following questions:

1. How frequent is the center operational?

2. What is the daily operations of the facility?

3. What is the indication that the operation of the

center is performing well?

4. How frequent is the center conducting maintenance?

5. What are the methods and routines used in the

maintenance of the whole center

c. ASSESSMENT OF IMPACT ON FARMERS’ PRODUCTION AND INCOME

Survey research design is will be used in collecting data

from the farmers of the respective areas. Survey research is

where a group of people is studied by collecting the data from

these few selected and is considered to be representatives of the

entire group. A part of the population is studied and findings

are expected to be generalized to the entire population. The

 survey method is proven to be an effective technique to gather

necessary information for the advancement of science and

technology.

The target population for this research defined to be the

Officers in charge of the respective RPCs and the farmers and

people that are beneficiaries of the Rice Processing Centers.

For the survey, a sample in this study is a smaller group of

elements drawn through a definite procedure from an accessible

population. With the COVID-19 pandemic, a small sample size is used.

50 respondents per center is the expected sample of the population.

C. Instrument for Data Collection

a) Primary Source:

Data from the assessment of the performance of the

drying and milling machines.

Interview with the officers in charge of the

respective RPCs to determine the storage methods of the

facilities.

Interview with the officers in charge of the

respective RPCs to determine the daily operations and

maintenance.

Survey will be given to the beneficiaries to determine

their feedback, opinions, and their satisfactions on the RPC

and their operations

b) Secondary Data
 Files or logs that have previous data of the

operations of the respective RPCs.

Pls include the Statistical Analysis

Pls include he timetable of activities, budgetary requirement

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