Man Philippine Journal of Crop Science 2004, 29(2): 5-15

Copyright 2005, Crop Science Society of the Philippines

Released 31 March 2005

TECHNICAL & SOCIO-ECONOMIC EVALUATION IN ILOCOS NORTE

OF A LOW-COST GRAIN DRYER FROM VIETNAM

MC ULEP1, FB CASIL JR1, RC CASTRO2, EC GAGELONIA1 & EU BAUTISTA1

1 Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), Maligaya, Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija, Philippines,
2 PhilRice Batac, Ilocos Norte, Philippines

The drying performance of a low-cost, 1 to 2-ton/batch in-bin grain dryer originally designed by the
University of Agriculture and Forestry in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam was evaluated at farmers’ fields
in Ilocos Norte. The dryer consists of three main parts: 1) the drying bin made of 2 concentric wire
screen cylinders; the bigger one stores grains, the smaller one, wrapped around a steel bar frame, serves
as the central duct; 2) the blower, with a 373 W (½ hp) electric motor and automotive fan blades, which
provides the drying air; and 3) the heater, 1 kW electric, which slightly raises the temperature of the
drying air. Trials conducted in 1999-2000 in Ilocos Norte showed that paddy rice (palay), at an initial
moisture content (MC) of 21%, can be dried to 13.5% in 15 hours, an MC reduction rate of 0.5%/hour.
The mechanically dried sample was better than the sun-dried sample in terms of milling and headrice
recoveries. Farmer-cooperators and observers in the test sites said that the dryer was better than sun-
drying in terms of capacity, convenience of operation, and quality of dried paddy rice. The drying cost
was P15.61/per 50 kg or P0.31/kg. The plus factors enumerated were: it was portable; it had an
affordable investment cost; it saved time; it required less labor, work and time for transport; and it was
easy to operate. The cooperators observed that the electricity consumed by the dryer was economic. The
dryer was acceptable also because it reduced labor, and allowed them to do other tasks while drying
their paddy rice. Moreover, the dryer was suitable to them because they had small rice lands. The unit
cost was about P10,000. All of the 5 farmer-cooperators said they would like to use the dryer again, and
would buy one once they have the financial capability and the device is available commercially.
drying of grains, dryer, Ilocos Norte, low-cost dryer, paddy rice, palay, sun-drying, rice, technology

INTRODUCTION absence of another option such as a mechanical

dryer, or in avoidance of cash expense for drying.
Drying is the most crucial operation after the Farmers who have small farm holdings usually
harvest of rice (Bakker 2000). With the advent of dry their harvest on affordable mats which are
the high-yielding varieties, which resulted in spread anywhere, or on public pavements or
harvests being doubled, even trebled, the roads, in the Philippines and in other parts of
technology of drying did not catch up (De Padua Asia, as the sun shines. The disadvantages are
1999). With the advent of hybrid rice, still the that sun-drying is inefficient and difficult during
technology of drying has not caught up. Most the rainy season; even during the dry season, the
farmers in the Philippines sun-dry their paddy use of roads for drying paddy is dangerous and
rice (palay), either as their first option, or in the against the law. When there is a delay in or
improper sun-drying, this results in fissured forced-air convection drying.
grains and consequently lower milling recovery, The development of this low-cost in-store
or the grains become darker in color (De Padua dryer for small farmers has been a part of the
1999) and therefore can attract only lower prices. Project ‘Postharvest Technologies for Rice in the
The other option is to use a drying Humid Tropics,’ which is financially supported
equipment, especially now that high-yielding by the German Agency for Technical Cooperation
varieties (HYVs) and recently hybrid rices (HRs) (GTZ), and conducted in cooperation with the
have been widely adopted for planting, and these International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in
cultivars are more sensitive to the environment the Philippines. The record shows that about
than traditional ones. However, lack of suitable 1,300 units have already been installed in
small-scale equipment for paddy rice drying is Vietnam, mostly along the Mekong Delta
still a prevalent problem of most farmers of HYVs (Bakker 2000), and the technology is now widely
and HRs in the country. Mechanical dryers accepted and popularly used by small farmers.
commonly used by millers and traders are of In Vietnam, the dryer is referred to as SRR,
medium to large size. These are the recirculating which means ‘very cheap’ in Vietnamese, as it
type, with capacities ranging from 6 to 10 costs less than $100 (Bakker 2000). In the
tons/batch. Most farmers cannot afford these Philippines, with a similar initial amount of
dryers owing to the high investment and drying investment, the low-cost dryer is very much
costs. Nonetheless, it is important to note that affordable by small Filipino farmers, hence this
with poorly dried paddy rice, the milling yield study.
can be only up to 60%, a high loss of 40% (De This study aimed to: 1) evaluate the low-cost
Padua 1999), hence the necessity of improving in-bin grain dryer as to its capacity, mechanical
drying while reducing costs. drying performance, and economic feasibility in
Now available is the small capacity (1-2 the Philippines, and 2) introduce the dryer to
tons/batch) flat-bed dryer with a kerosene burner small farmers, field-test and determine the social
as heat source, but which is not widely used acceptability of the technology in Ilocos Norte,
because of its high drying cost. Actually, a simple Northern Philippines.
flat-bed batch dryer was designed and
introduced in the Philippines in the 1970s yet, MATERIALS & METHODS
but there had been no widespread acceptance of
the technology, as the basic complaint was that The Dryer
drying with that equipment was more expensive The in-bin dryer uses ambient air during
than sun-drying (De Padua 1999). daytime and heat from a resistor coil during cold
The Philippine experience with the flat-bed nights and rainy periods; the temperature is low,
dryer indicates that there is a socio-economic which allows slow drying, which is a prerequisite
demand for low-cost drying technology. The need for high headrice and milling recovery.
for low-cost technologies in general has been The dryer was designed based on the
recognized in poor countries, including China. principle of low-temperature in-store drying. It
The concept of ‘low-cost’ includes not only low- has 3 main components: a two-stage axial fan, an
cost acquisition but also low-cost maintenance. electric heater, and a drying bin (Figure 2).
In Vietnam, a low-cost dryer is now The drying bin consists of two concentric
popularly used by small farmers (Figure 1). It wire mesh cylinders (0.4 and 1.75 meters in
consists of a drying bin made of bamboo mat, 373 diameter, both 1.46 meters high). The inner
W (0.5 hp) blower, and 1 kW heater. It has a cylinder is supported by a frame made of 6 mm
capacity of 1-2 tons/batch, and was designed steel. It has a capacity of 1-2 tons/batch.
using the principle of low-temperature, in-store, The fan is driven by a 373 W (0.5 hp) single-

6 Low-Cost Grain Dryer From Vietnam

phase electric motor, and runs at 3,450 rpm. A season of 1999-2000. Farmers who signified their
350-mm diameter, 6-blade rotor is mounted at interest in the technology being introduced
the end of the motor shaft and inside a steel became the cooperators.
casing. The plastic rotor is locally made, and is The parameters measured during the actual
readily available in the market as a fan for car drying tests were: drying and ambient air
radiators. The fan is positioned on top of the temperatures, moisture content, drying time,

Figure 1. Low-cost in-bin grain dryer from Vietnam

(from Bakker 2000)

inner wire cylinder which serves as the plenum grain mass temperatures, and electric power
chamber. consumption. Temperature was monitored using
The heater is a 1-kW resistor for an electric the dial thermometer. Moisture reduction was
stove, also available locally, and is mounted monitored every 3 hours using a portable digital
below the rotor. moisture meter.
Samples were taken using an auger from top
Dryer Evaluation to bottom of the outer and inner sides of the
Technical performance of the dryer was drying bin for moisture content measurement.
verified during actual drying tests at farmers’ Figure 3 shows the sample points. The moisture
fields in Ilocos Norte during the harvesting content was on a wet basis.

MC Ulep et al 7
Milling and headrice recoveries were also 13.5 to 12.3%, 4.75 hours from 17.4 to 15.2% and
gathered to determine the quality of paddy rice 6 hours from 16.5 to 14.0%. The target MC was
dried using the dryer and compare with those 14%. The corresponding energy consumptions
using sun-drying. Sun-drying was carried out the were 24, 6.5, 4, 11 and 10 kW/hour.
same day with fishnet laid on concrete pavement
using the same variety used in the dryer. Moisture Reduction
The drying rate ranged from 0.42% to 0.53%
RESULTS & DISCUSSION reduction of MC/hour. Variations in moisture
content between various points in the grain mass
General Findings were within 0.5-1%. The representative moisture
Actual drying tests for the dryer were reduction curves for the inner and outer layers of
conducted at farmers’ fields in Ilocos Norte. the paddy rice are shown in Figure 4. It can be
Table 1 summarizes the results of the technical observed that moisture reduction was slow at an
evaluation. average of 0.5%/hour. This is to be expected, as
Per batch, the highest amount of paddy rice the device was designed using the principle of
dried was 1,250 kg (25 cavans) while the lowest low-temperature, in-store, forced-air convection

Table 1. Test results of the low-cost dryer in municipalities of Ilocos Norte (1999-2000)

Dry Season (1999-00) Batches (Municipalities)

1st Batch 2nd Batch 3rd Batch 4th Barch 5th Batch
(Marcos) (Marcos) San Nicolas (Solsona) (Solsona)

Loading date 12/24/99 12/28/99 01/11/00 01/14/00 01/15/00

Unloading date 12/24/99 12/28/99 01/11/00 01/14/00 01/15/00

Capacity (kg) 875 875 900 1250 1250

Initial MC (%) 21.42 18.1 13.5 17.4 16.5

Final 13.5 16.0 12.3 15.2 14.0

Drying time (hours) 15.0 4.0 2.75 4.75 6.0

Drying rate, %MC/hour 0.53 0.52 0.44 0.46 0.42

Energy consumption, 5.0 6.5 4.0 11.0 10.0

kWh

was 875 kg (17.5 cavans). The bin of the dryer is drying. It is possible to increase the rate of MC
flexible such that it can be rolled to reduce the reduction; however, care should be taken when
roll diameter, and therefore the volume to be attempting to increase the heat, as this can lead
dried. Tests showed that paddy rice drying took to grain stress (Gardisser, cited by Schultz 2004).
15 hours for an MC reduction from 21.42 to It should be noted that the dryer was designed
13.5%, 4 hours from 18.1 to 16%, 2.75 hours from for low-temperature drying.

8 Low-Cost Grain Dryer From Vietnam

Ambient air

Fan

Resistor Cover sheet

Bin

1.46 meters
Wire mesh

1,75 m

Figure 2. Low-cost in-bin grain dryer from Vietnam tested in Ilocos

Norte, Northern Philippines

MC Ulep et al 9
0.675 m

P1 P2 P3 P4
L1

L2

L3

L4

L5

L6
0.09 m
L7

L8

0.467m

Figure 3. Sample points for measuring

of grain temperature in grain
dryer tested in Ilocos Norte

Temperature Variation Milling & Headrice Recovery

Temperature is one of the crucial parameters Milling and headrice recovery are important
in paddy rice drying because it affects the rate of criteria in assessing the quality of the paddy
drying, viability of the seeds, and the quality of rice, which is greatly influenced by drying.
the milled rice. Headrice recovery is the percent headrice ratio of
Figure 5 presents the variations in the weight of grains that do not break in the
temperature during the drying process. It can be process of milling and with the size of ¾ or more
seen that the peak temperatures were observed of the whole grain, to the total weight of milled
before and after midday. Also, the difference in rice, expressed in percent.
temperature between the plenum chamber and The average milling and headrice recovery
grain mass was about 4°C. As a result of rates are shown in Figures 6 & 7. The
temperature variations in the bin, the inner mechanically dried samples had higher milling
layer of paddy rice dried first. Drying air and headrice recovery rates than the sun-dried
temperature was 3°C higher than the ambient samples. This indicates that there was more
air during bright, sunny weather. grain damage in the latter samples.

10 Low-Cost Grain Dryer From Vietnam

Drying Costs CONCLUSION & RECOMMENDATIONS
Figure 8 shows that the drying cost
decreases with the increase of the total volume Although there are many available dryers,
in annual drying, as expected. The cost of drying the low-cost in-bin grain dryer from Vietnam is
is estimated at around P16/50 kg, assuming a recommended as it has proven to be the better
relatively high volume of 15 tons/year to dry. It alternative for the drying of paddy rice in areas
is estimated to be almost double (P27/50 kg) if with small farm holdings. The data indicate that
the annual volume is only 6 tons/year. the dryer’s capacity is appropriate for a farmer
Table 2 shows the costs incurred using the having 1.0 hectare or less.
dryer, the assumptions used in the computation, The advantageous features of the dryer
and cost analysis. include: a) simple design, as it uses only an
The annual volume use of the dryer was automotive fan, electric motor, electric resistor,
estimated based on the length of the harvesting and wire mesh for the construction of the drying
period in a year. At one cropping season per year bin; b) affordable cost, which is around
and harvesting period lasting up to 2 months in P10,000/unit, c) appropriate capacity for small
a given area or community, the theoretical individual farmers, from 750 to 2,000 kg (15 to
harvesting duration could be up to 2 months (60 40 cavans) per batch, d) portable and convenient
days) in a year. However, a small farmer may to transport, e) minimal attention time, which
not achieve the optimum 60-day per year use if allows farmers to attend to other farm tasks
he alone uses the dryer. A 1-ton/batch of drying while drying, f) versatile, as it can be used to dry
was estimated to last for 2 days. not only rice but other grains, and g) easy
With its capacity and rate of drying, the in- operation and installation.
bin dryer is still of lower cost than the other During the actual process of drying, farmers
dryers which require much higher investment may become impatient and choose to speed up
costs. The cost of drying per 50 kg (1 cavan) is the drying of their paddy rice. It is emphasized
estimated at around P15.61 (or P0.31/kg) at 15 that caution should be taken in such a case, as
tons/year volume, with a payback period of 0.74 drying the grains too quickly with heated air can
year (8 months and 9 days). lead to grain damage.
Aside from promotion through any of the
Socio-Economic Acceptability mass media (print, radio, TV), access to funds is
As shown in Tables 3 and 4, the in-bin dryer an important consideration for the eventual
was better than sun-drying in terms of capacity, adoption of the technology. For the matter, there
convenience of operation, and quality of dried are at least two other options that can be taken:
paddy rice. It was also found that the benefits or (a) single ownership and (b) group ownership.
advantages derived from the dryer include: Individual ownership of the dryer is for farmers
portability, affordability or low investment cost, who can easily raise the necessary funds
savings in time, labor, work, transport, and individually by themselves, or can have access
much-reduced drudgery of paddy drying. to funds without much difficulty; group
Table 5 shows that all of the farmers (both ownership is for the farmers who need financial
users and observers) would like to use the dryer assistance. Government financial assistance is
again and would buy such equipment once they another option.
had the financial capability and the device was On the matter of further developing the
available commercially. It is worth noting that technology itself, it is also important to reduce
the farmer-respondents had landholdings of 1.0 further the cost of 1 dryer, from P10,000 to more
ha or less and usually produced a yield of 4-5 or less P5,000, considering that only $100 is the
tons/cropping season. unit cost in Vietnam.

MC Ulep et al 11
LITERATURE CITED

Bakker R. 2000. Small-scale rice drying technologies from IRRI. PhAction News. International
Institute of Tropical Agriculture. www.iita.org/info/phnews2
ACIAR. 1996. Grain Drying in Asia. Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research,
Canberra, Australia
De Padua Dante B. 1999. Postharvest handling in Asia 1: Rice. Food & Fertilizer Technology Center.
[email protected]
Hien, Phan Hieu, Le Van-Ban, Bui-Ngoc-Hung. 1997. The SRR-1 dryer: An application of low-
temperature in-bin drying and storage systems in Vietnam. Paper presented at the 18th ASEAN
Technical Seminar on Grain Postharvest Technology, Manila
IIRR. 2003. NGO Leadership, Development and Social Change 2003 Gateway Course. International
Institute for Rural Reconstruction brochure. (Internet)
Schultz Bruce. 2004. Expert offers tips at seminar on rice drying. Delta Farm Press, 9 December 2004

Table 3. Benefits/Advantages of using the dryer.

Material Social
Portability Less labor
Ability to dry other crops Less work and time for transport
Affordable investment cost Less work and time for drying
Savings in time & high quality of Less drudgery
dried paddy rice

Table 4. Farmers’ response on using the dryer again and buying it (n = 5)

Question Farmers’ Response

(%)
Yes No
Will you use the dryer again? (n=5) 100
If you have the financial capability, will you buy such 100
dryer?

12 Low-Cost Grain Dryer From Vietnam

Moisture reduction

20.0
15.0

%MC
P1
10.0
5.0 P2
0.0 P4
0 3 6 P3

Drying time, hr

Figure 4. Moisture reduction in the inner and outer

layers of the grain dryer (see sample points
in Figure 3)

Temperature variation
Temperature, oC

40
20
0 Plenum
Noon

2:00
10:00

12:00

PM

Grain Mass
AM

Ambient
Drying time (January
15, 2000)

Figure 5. Temperature variation in the plenum and

paddy rice in in-bin dryer and ambient

MC Ulep et al 13
Milling recovery

70
69
% Milling
68
recovery
67
66
Sundried Dryer

Figure 6. Milling recovery of paddy rice dried using the

in-bin dryer compared with sun-drying

Headrice recovery

62
60
%
58
Headrice
56
recovery
54
52
Sundried Dryer

Figure 7. Headrice recovery of paddy rice dried using

the in-bin dryer compared with sun-drying

14 Low-Cost Grain Dryer From Vietnam

Drying Cost, P/kg

Drying cost, P/kg

30
20
10
0
6 8 10 12 15
Annual use, tons/yr

Figure 8. Drying cost of paddy rice using the in-bin dryer

MC Ulep et al 15