HARVEST/POSTHARVEST

TECHNOLOGIES

Rice Engineering & Mechanization Division

Philippine Rice Research Institute
Farm Level Postharvest Practices

HARVESTING FIELD DRYING

PILING

THRESHING

CLEANING

PADDY DRYING

STORAGE
 Harvesting
Indices for optimum harvesting
Grain moisture content (MC) is the 20-24% MC is
best index for determining optimum ideal time to
time of harvest. harvest

1 3 4 5
2

ripened

Determine the optimum harvest Harvest when

time by the physical appearance 80-85% of the
of the plant grains are fully
ripened
 Harvesting

Harvesting too early

Unfilled/half filled grains

Harvesting too late

Losses
Shattering
Rats/birds
Lodging
 Rice postharvest losses, %

Operation 1994-95 1984 1974

Harvesting *-5 *-5 1-3

Gathering/piling *-2 *-1 2-7

Threshing/cleaning 0.04-5 0.1-5 2-6

Drying 1-9 *-1 1-5

Storage 0.4-5 3-5 2-6

Milling *-6 6-8 2-10

Total 1-32 9-23 10-37

Average 15 16 24

Source: Technical Reference Guide on Grains Postharvest. BPRE, 2000

 Harvesting

Drain field 7-10 days before the expected

date of harvesting

To attain uniform maturity/ripening

To prevent wetting of the grain

during harvesting

For easy operation in the field

Harvesting

Height of cutting is
affected by harvesting
method and existing
threshing practices

Panicle harvesting
(Yatab or Ani-ani) Foot threshing

Sickle harvesting
Mechanical harvesting Axial flow thresher

Pedal thresher
Sickle harvesting or “Hampasan”
Manual Harvesting

Ani-ani

Sickle
 Mechanical Harvesting
Stripper harvester
- grains are stripped from the panicles leaving the straws still
anchored on the ground
- threshing must be done during harvesting operation
- capacity up to 1 hectare/day (clean grains) with 6-10 workers

SG800 LS600
 Mechanical Harvesting
PhilRice Rotary Reaper
- capacity up to 2 hectares/day
- powered by 6 hp gasoline engine
- easy to repair and maintain
- costs more than 50% lower than imported reaper

Morallo Model Agad Model

 Mechanical Harvesting
Rice Combine Harvester
- combines reaping, threshing,
cleaning and bagging in one
machine

European Combine

Japanese Combine
 Threshing

Grains should be immediately threshed to prevent, if not

minimize, losses both in quantity and quality.

Threshing dripping wet palay using a mechanical

thresher should be avoided to prevent losses due
to poor grain cleaning & separation

Observe recommended threshing speed to prevent

grain damage

Thresher must be properly cleaned if paddy is to be

used for seeds
 Traditional Threshing methods

(20-60 kg/h/person)

Hampasan

Flailing

(15kg/h/person)

Treading
 Mechanical Threshing

Pedal Thresher
(1-2 cavans/h)

Axial Flow Thresher

(10-40 cavans/h)
 Paddy Drying
- removing excess moisture up to a level safe
for storage (13-14%)

Importance:
Makes long storage possible without
deterioration
Maintains viability of seeds over a
long period

Gives product greater economic value

 Paddy drying

Methods

Sun drying

Heated Air Drying

In-storage Drying (low temperature

drying)
Paddy Drying

2-4 cm

Sun drying

Low cost but weather dependent

Requires manual stirring to attain uniform drying

Prone to grain fissuring

Prone to dust/stone contamination
 Paddy Drying

PhilRice
Flatbed
Dryer 30 cm

Static pressure = 3 mm

6 tons capacity per batch at 4-6 h/batch

Rice hull-fueled heating component
Complete drying to 13-14%
Can be used to dry palay for seed
purposes at regulated temperature (43 C)
 Paddy Drying

Bamboo
bin dryer

Up to 20 cavans capacity/batch
Complete drying (low temperature)
from wet to 13-14%
Portable, easy to install and operate
Its blower can be used to clean grains
 Heated air drying

Recirculating
Batch Dryer

4-10 tons capacity/batch at 6-10 h drying time

Forced convection – centrifugal fan
40-80 C air temperature
 Heated air drying

The PRPC
Grain Dryer
 In-storage drying

In-storage
Bin Dryer

1000 - 6000 cavans capacity/batch

Forced convection – axial flow or
centrifugal fan
Drying takes weeks or even months

Unheated or near-ambient air temperature

 Grain cleaning

The process of removing straw, chaff, unfilled/ half-

filled grains and other impurities from the grain.
 Importance of grain cleaning

 Affects storability and milling

quality of palay
 Uncleaned palay is more prone to
deterioration

 Most mechanical threshers are already

equipped with grain cleaning components

 Palay for seeds require further cleaning

 Manual winnowing/Sieving

Natural occurring wind

Mechanically generated air draft

Mechanical Grain Cleaners

Manually operated
“Hungkuyan”

Power Grain Cleaner

PhilRice Seed Cleaner
 Outstanding Features

 Can be used on relatively wet grains

 Needs 1 pass only
 Light weight and portable with wheels
 Has two blowers to improve paddy purity in
one pass
 Can be used for other seeds by changing
screen sizes
 Easier to use; the screens can be easily
disassembled for cleaning
 Specifications

 Output capacity : 100-300 bags/day

 Paddy purity : 90-98% depending on paddy MC
 Cleaning losses : <1%
 Power requirement : 6.5hp gas. engine or 1.5 hp
electric motor
 Labor requirement : 1-2 persons
 Dimension (L x W x H) : 1.2 x 0.6 x 1.0m
 Total weight : 80 kg
 Storing

Rice is subject to deterioration

because of changes in temperature
and relative humidity

10-14% MC safe for storage

18% MC temporary storage for 7-14 days

Storage area must be:

Clean and free from pests
With good ventilation
 Storing

Harvests must be stored properly to avoid

deterioration of seed quality and damage
from pests and diseases. Store only what is
needed to minimize costs.
 Storing

Hermetic Storage
Bag Storage

Methods
Bag Storage System
- Jute or synthetic fiber sacks

Hermetic Storage

Bulk Storage System

- Bulk warehouse
Bulk Storage
- Silo storage
Super Bag cartoon

Superbag Saves Rice!

doubles the
life of your
rice seed

Less damage
sect
Less in from rats
e
damag

X X
 Milling
Process of removing the husk and the
bran layers to produce an edible, white
rice kernel free of impurities.
Rice Milling Process Flow
 Degree of milling

• Brown rice • 0% bran removed

• Under milled rice • 25%
• Regular milled rice • 50%
• Well milled rice • 75%
• Over milled rice • 100%
 Two-stage
rice mill

Single-stage rice mill

Multi-stage rice mill

 Milling

PhilRice Micromill
For areas far from commercial
milling centers
portable
Can be used for other grains

PhilRice Flourmill
Produces dry flour
Fine flour output ideal for
traditional and bakery rice
food products
Can be used for other crops
GOD BLESS!