THE Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech) said it hopes to complete pilot testing by June of corn milling equipment developed by the Korea Agriculture Machinery Industry Cooperative (KAMICO).
“The pilot tests will be completed by June 2023; after that, PHilMech will push for its wider adoption and study its commercialization. So far, the project is proceeding as scheduled,” PhilMech Director Dionisio G. Alvindia said in a statement on Sunday.
He said the pilot tests are taking place in two sites in Bukidnon, one in Saranggani, and one in Negros Occidental.
“This project supports the attainment of food security for communities that have land and resources suitable for growing white corn as their staple,” Mr. Alvindia said.
In 2016, PhilMech and KAMICO forged an agreement to develop and design farm machinery.
The equipment being piloted “can mill 200 kilograms of corn with an output of 110 kilograms of corn grits per hour. It can separate the grits from the powder, and is powered by electricity… the mills promise grits of uniform shape which improve their eating qualities,” Donald V. Mateo, science research specialist II at PhilMech, said in the statement.
In 2022, PHilMech with KAMICO, Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA-Philippines), Korea Institute for Development Strategy (KDS) also established the Agricultural Machinery Design and Prototyping Center (AMDPC). — Ashley Erika O. Jose
