THE NATIONAL Food Authority (NFA) said it has significantly lowered the time and cost of handling palay (unmilled rice) in a pilot test using one-ton bags instead of traditional 50-kilogram sacks, adding this system could speed up procurement, improve warehouse efficiency and free up funds to buy more palay.
“Our pilot test showed a 75% reduction in handling time and a 50% cut in handling costs. Work that used to take an hour can now be completed in just 15 minutes, while handling costs are halved. Using tonner bags also allows us to make better use of warehouse space,” NFA Administrator Larry R. Lacson said in a statement.
The pilot project, which was launched in October last year, uses flexible intermediate bulk containers or “tonner bags” in NFA branches in Nueva Ecija, Occidental Mindoro, and Davao del Sur.
The tonner bags are considered as a possible alternative for the 50-kg sacks used for palay handling.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr., who is the chair of the NFA Council, said savings from this system could ultimately benefit rice farmers.
““For our rice farmers, this means we can potentially procure more palay with the same resources. If we can lower handling costs and use our warehouses more efficiently, more of the NFA’s resources can go toward buying palay at a fair market price from our farmers,” he said.
Mr. Lacson last week inspected the pilot system at the NFA’s triplex warehouse in Davao del Sur, which covers receiving, weighing, handling, and stacking of the tonner bags, but excludes milling and distribution.
“This is part of our efforts to ensure that our stocks are food-safe and to make NFA operations more efficient and modern,” Mr. Lacson said.
NFA’s findings show that the tonner bags were able to maintain moisture levels within safe limits and that palay spillage was minimal.
However, the NFA noted areas for improvement included standardizing fumigation procedures for bulk stacks, testing bag compression and strength, and developing pest-controls suited to bulk storage.
The agency said it would continue to improve the system before possible broader implementation. — Maria Mikaela H. Tormon