Rice post harvest management-Bangladesh context

1. Rice post harvest management-Bangladesh context Debashish Chanda, Ph.D Post Harvest & Business Model Specialist IRRI Bangladesh

2. Why is Post-Harvest ManagementImportant? • Food Safety • Quality assurance • Better storage • Better protection from pests • Reduce losses (quantity & quality) • Better marketing opportunities

3. Post harvest losses in Bangladesh(Present scenario) • Production of Rice per year = around 30 million tons • Post harvest loss of Rice = 10 – 15 % per year (approx) • Post harvest loss of F & V = 30 – 40 % per year (approx) • In value losses (all crops) cost = around 30,000 crore BDT • If we can reduce these losses only 3% , we can save 1.0 million tons food crops.

4. Causes of post harvest losses Generally these include: • Inefficient harvesting and handling methods • Labor shortage during harvest season • Harvesting immature and over-mature crops • Poor processing techniques • Limited drying facility • Excess rain-fall expose • Lack of storage facilities • Rough transportation/load/unload • No or poor access to new technology • No farmers friendly business model

5. Post harvest steps • Harvesting (cutting – field drying – hauling) • Stacking/Piling - Threshing (and winnowing) • Moisture control (drying) • Fine cleaning (for seed) • Bagging • Fumigation (for seed) • Storage (paddy storage) • Parboiling & milling • Transportation - Marketing

6. Harvest Handling • Harvest in dry and sunny weather to avoid extra moisture • Harvest only in appropriate ripening stage (80-85%) • Use combine harvester if available/possible • Do not mix grain for milling with seed production • Take moisture measurement after harvesting • Avoid delays in threshing and drying after harvesting

7. Harvesting • Harvesting mainly manually (almost 99 %) • Very rare use of reapers and combine harvesters • Combine harvester is more appropriate and cost effective

8. Field drying • Leaving the cut crop in the field and exposing it to the sun for drying • Panicle drying, usually farmers dry their paddy 2-3 days in the field • Dry up to 17-18% • For seed its better thresh after cutting and then dry

9. Threshing • Most of the farmers now use mechanical thresher like fully mechanized open drum power thresher and pedal thresher

10. Drying for storage • Drying traditionally (sun drying) Use bite test to get m/c

11. Mechanical dryer • Low-cost seed dryer • Flat bed dryer Mechanical dryer

12. Cleaning & grading for seed • Pre-cleaning (for both seed and milling) • Fine cleaning (for seed) • Grading (for wheat, barley, maize, etc)

13. Storage

14. Storage technology • IRRI Super bag Cocoon

15. Parboiling • Parboiling (5-10 min) • Soaking (min 12 hours) • Parboiling (5-10 min) • Drying (12% - 16%)

16. Milling

17. Post harvest flow chart Pre-drying in field Harvesting Harvesting Threshing Winnowing Drying Hauling Parboiling and drying For milling Storage Utilization by consumer Marketing Marketing Processing (pre cleaning, fine Cleaning, grading) and fumigation for seed Packaging

18. Thank You