The government of Japan is eyeing to donate a rice processing complex to help the Philippines reduce the post-post harvest losses.

A Daily Manila Shimbun source said the Department of Agriculture is working out a grant for a rice processing complex from the Japanese government which includes post harvest facilities like rice mill, dryer and silo.

Another source mentioned that Japan is still reviewing a site in Cauayan, Isabela where the facility for the rice processing complex will be built.

"It is a new construction, so it's big and then it will house the (post-harvest) facilities," the source added, noting that the facility is expected to dry 120 tons of rice per day.

In a press briefing on Wednesday, Assistant Agriculture Secretary Arnel De Mesa also mentioned that the Department of Agriculture is talking to an institution that will donate a complete rice processing complex in Isabela province.

De Mesa did not name the institution that will provide the donation but he noted that it will be part of the effort to strengthen the capacity of the National Food Authority (NFA).

"We're talking with an institution that will donate. We're working on it, in Isabela, a complete rice processing complex with four dryers, rice mill and silo so this is part of the effort to strengthen the capacity of NFA," he said.

"There are ongoing studies. Hopefully it will be approved, we're expecting that it will be approved by August and then the target is it will start by next year," he added.

De Mesa also mentioned that 100 NFA warehouses are either for repair or for construction of new facilities.

"Now we are expecting 32 or 36 to be constructed within the year," he said.

In the previous year, the DA reported an average of 342,000 metric tons of rice losses which is equivalent to annual post-harvest losses of P7.89 billion. Robina Asido/DMS