NFA pilot-testing 1-ton palay bagging system

THE National Food Authority (NFA) has launched a pilot program to bag palay (unmilled rice) in 1-ton sacks, saying the measure is designed to reduce storage costs and optimize warehouse capacity.

“This is part of our broader effort to upgrade NFA’s storage capacity at minimal cost to the government,” according to Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr., who also chairs the NFA Council. “By maximizing existing warehouse space, we can procure more palay from farmers and help address post-harvest losses,” he was quoted as saying in a Department of Agriculture (DA) statement.

According to NFA Administrator Larry Lacson, the pilot test will begin in at least three warehouses. “This trial will provide us with critical data to determine whether the technology is viable for broader implementation,” he said.

Some of the NFA’s over 300 warehouses are undergoing upgrades to accommodate larger volumes of palay and milled rice, and possibly corn if legislative amendments are passed.

The 1-ton bagging system is touted to reduce reducing storage and transport costs, with airtight bags helping preserve grain quality. It also simplifies segregation of grain types, enhances pest control, and reduces pressure on storage infrastructure.

Mr. Lacson estimates that the new system could boost warehouse capacity by up to 30%.

“There will also be savings in manpower, fumigation, and sack costs,” he added.

The NFA currently spends around P15 per printed sack and an additional cost per bag for labor. At full capacity, an NFA warehouse with maximum of eight piles can store up to 55,440 bags of 50-kg grain.