Rice Farming: Post Production, Harvesting and Drying

In many developing countries, 25 to 50% of the total amount of grain is lost between harvest and consumption, mainly due to poor storage strategies, farm damage, and poor performance. This results in lower farmers' wages and higher consumer prices. In addition, there is pressure on farmers to increase production levels in order to get a higher yield of rice and end up using more land and fertilizer which is causing more damage to natural resources. This article aims to teach you how to reduce grain loss and maintain the quality of rice for a long time.

Step 1: Post production management

Post production management is about how you handle rice; from the time of its harvest until the time of its sale. Various processes such as cutting, dragging, cleaning and marketing rice, etc. It is very important because it prevents both quality and quantity losses and with poor production management, you tend to lose 50% of your total yield.

Step 2: Harvesting

This is simply a process of harvesting a ripe crop in the field; us, rice. Harvesting begins with cutting the harvest and ends after the drying process. Includes:

- Cutting

- Drying of the field

- Pulling

- Installation

- Divination

- Cleaning

- Packing (shipping continuously for drying)

Timely harvesting ensures high yields, reducing quality damage. There is, however, some physical loss that one must face during harvest work. This depends on working with the equipment used during the harvest. These losses:

- Occurs during cutting

- Occur during divination once

- Occurs during grain harvesting

To reduce, it is important to measure the losses in each harvest activity and work on it.

Step 3: Drying

The most critical task once during harvest, drying reduces the moisture content of the grain to a safe level of long-term storage. Moisture-bearing seeds often change color, mold growth and insect infection. It also reduces seed germination rate, thereby reducing the overall grain quality. What happens when:

- Wait a long time before you start thirsting

- Do not freeze it long enough, whatever your purpose

- Improper tactics

Ideally, you should start drying within 24 hours after harvest. Letters must be suspended in Content Moisture (MC) for various purposes.

- 14% or less of MC last few months

- 13% or less MC to keep for 8 to 12 months

- 9% or less to save more than a year

Drying strategies:

- Traditional Programs: Sun drying, field drying and stacking

- Mechanical systems: Hot air drying, low temperature drying, sun drying and grain cooling.