High-tech storage boosts rice buffer stocks

The National Food Authority (NFA) is upgrading warehouses with automated ventilation, solar power, and improved insulation to cut post-harvest losses and protect the local rice buffer stock.

The modernization begins with a major storage facility in Pili, Camarines Sur, where systems are being installed to keep government-procured palay in optimal condition while in storage.

“This upgrade is about protecting the hard work of our rice farmers,” NFA Administrator Larry Lacson said on Saturday.

“By improving storage conditions, we reduce post-harvest losses, preserve grain quality, and make sure the palay we procure retains its value. That strengthens recipient confidence and ensures farmers are properly supported.”

The project includes automated ventilation units that prevent heat buildup, one of the main causes of grain deterioration.

Wireless sensors transmit temperature and humidity data every five minutes, allowing exhaust blowers to automatically activate once heat thresholds are reached. The ventilation system costs about P1.21 million.

The warehouse will also be powered by a 16-kilowatt solar system worth P1.40 million, while roof insulation, costing between P3.26 million and P3.70 million, will help stabilize temperatures inside the duplex facility, which has a 200,000-cubic-meter capacity.

According to Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr., Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, the project will help strengthen the country’s food security system. He said investments in improved storage, renewable energy, and smarter systems aim to raise farmers’ incomes, reduce waste, and reinforce food security.

Currently, the NFA’s Camarines Sur branch is working with the Central Bicol State University of Agriculture to validate and refine the system as the government expands rice storage modernization nationwide.