The National Food Authority (NFA) has begun testing a 1-ton bagging system for palay to reduce storage costs and increase warehouse capacity as part of its effort to modernize grain-handling operations.

NFA Administrator Larry Lacson said on Friday that the pilot run will start this month in at least three warehouses nationwide.

“This trial will provide us with critical data to determine whether the technology is viable for broader implementation,” he said.

The 1-ton bagging system is designed to lower storage and transport costs while maintaining grain quality by protecting against moisture, heat, insects, and rodents.

The airtight bags also simplify grain segregation, enhance pest control, and ease pressure on existing storage facilities.

Lacson said the new system could increase warehouse capacity by up to 30 percent and shorten investment payback periods. “There will also be savings in manpower, fumigation, and sack costs,” he added.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr., who chairs the NFA Council, said the initiative supports the government’s broader goal of upgrading the agency’s storage capacity while minimizing costs.

“By maximizing existing warehouse space, we can procure more palay from farmers and help address post-harvest losses,” he said.

The NFA operates more than 300 warehouses nationwide, several of which are being upgraded to handle larger volumes of palay and milled rice, and possibly corn once legislative changes are enacted.

The agency spends about P15 per printed sack plus labor costs. At full capacity, a typical NFA warehouse can store up to 55,440 bags of 50 kilograms.