A massive rollout of mechanical grain drying facilities is projected to increase the annual income of local farmers by roughly ₱6 billion, according to the Department of Agriculture (DA). The initiative targets post-harvest inefficiencies to reduce crop spoilage, elevate rice quality, and help agricultural producers secure higher market rates.
DA Undersecretary Christopher Morales detailed that the upgrades will generate approximately ₱3 billion in net income per cropping season. This boost stems from a ₱3-per-kilogram price premium that high-quality, dried palay commands over wet grain, even after factoring in processing costs.
On an individual scale, a farmer utilizing these facilities can expect an additional ₱12,600 in net income per hectare each season—amounting to ₱25,200 annually—based on a standard yield of 4.2 metric tons per hectare.
Rather than merely expanding farmland, the government’s strategy hinges on maximizing the economic value of existing harvests by curbing waste and improving milling recovery rates nationwide.
The historic infrastructure push aims for full deployment by the 2027 wet season.
“For the first time in the country’s history, we’ll be completing 380 drying systems for the 2027 wet season,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. noted during an internal planning session.
The project is split into two phases: 230 units are already in the final stages of installation to become functional by the end of this year, while the remaining 150 systems will be rolled out next year.
Joel Dator, assistant director of the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech), confirmed that equipment procurement is complete, leaving only the construction of housing sheds underway.
Scheduled to be fully operational by September 2027, the completed network will add 1 million metric tons of drying capacity per season, providing farmers with crucial protection against the weather-induced crop degradation that has long impacted the local sector.