Importance and

Status of Corn
Quality in the
Philippines

By Milo D. delos Reyes

Head, Agri-Pinoy Corn Program
Secretariat
Quality
Measure of Excellence or state of being free from
defects, deficiencies and significant variation.

ISO 8402-1986 standard defines quality as the “totality

of features and characteristics of a product or service
that bears its ability to satisfy stated or implied
needs.”(Business Dictionary)
Importance of Corn Quality
Human:
*BAFPS set the standard for food grade Corn at 20 ppb.
*Prevent illness

Livestock:
Standard set at 50 ppb to prevent diseases of Livestock

Economy:
1. Long shelf life of the commodity
2. Competitiveness of Corn
ISSUES THAT AFFECT CORN
QUALITY
ISSUES:
*Obsolete Corn Technologies of Some Farms
*Lack of Post-Harvest Facilities
*Lack of other infrastructure support

OUTCOME:
*Low Competitiveness of Corn in some areas
*Low income of farmers
*Poverty
*Higher Hunger Incidence
*Peace and order problems
Government Interventions
Addressing Corn Quality
 NABCOR CORN POSTHARVEST
PROCESSING CENTER

CONCEPT
• Public Investment in postharvest (drying)
• LGU as partner with share of P5M
• NABCOR share is P15M
• Center buys wet corn on cobs
• Processed into food grade corn grain (less than
20ppb aflatoxin)
• Two-stage drying (corn on cobs & grains)
• Biomass-based heating
• To be managed by NABCOR
• Turnover to LGU after capital is recovered (5-8yrs)
 NABCOR CORN POSTHARVEST
PROCESSING CENTER
Investment Outlay
CENTER
ITEM
UNIT UNIT COST
WAREHOUSE 1,200 SQUARE METERS 1 8,000,000
POSTHARVEST MACHINERY
50 tons holding capacity, 36 hrs
Corn on cob dryer 4 850,000,000
drying time from 30 to 22% mc

Corn sheller 20 tons/hr, crushing type, stationary 1 430,000

Biomass furnace For 2 units 30,000 cfm, 70°C blowers 3 2,270,000
15 tons holding capacity, 6 hrs
Grain dryer 2 1,500,000
drying time from 22 to 14% mc
Control panel, circuits & remote
Control system 1 842,000
switches switches
Conveying system Total length 78 meters 1 2,200,000
Holding bin 30 tons capacity 1 216,000
TOTAL INVESTMENT OUTLAY 16,898,000
NABCOR Postharvest Processing Center

Corn on Cob Dryer

CORN ON COB DRYER SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM
 REVERSE
FLOW

CORN ON COB DRYER SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM

NABCOR Postharvest Processing Center

Corn Sheller
NABCOR Postharvest Processing Center

GRAIN DRYER
NABCOR Postharvest Processing Center

Biomass Furnace Blower and radiator

 NABCOR CORN POSTHARVEST
PROCESSING CENTER
co
bs
t or
ag
e

50 tons/bin

gr
ai n co
dr
ye
rn
sh co
r el l rn
er on
co
b dr
ye
r

Corn on cob drying loa

di
18 hrs 20 ng p
tph it
 NABCOR CORN POSTHARVEST
PROCESSING CENTER
co
bs
t or
ag
e

gr
2.5 ain d co
tph ry 20 r n s co
er tph he
ll e
rn
r on
co
b dr
ye
r

Shelling then grain loa

di n
drying: 6 hrs gp
it
NABCOR PHPTC IN OPERATION

Corn on Cob Loading to Dryer

NABCOR PHPTC IN OPERATION

CORN ON COB UNLOADING &

SHELLING OPERATION
NABCOR PHPTC IN OPERATION

Grain Drying
 NABCOR Postharvest Processing Center
IMPROVEMENTS MADE
1. Automatic fuel
feeding system and
temperature control
for biomass furnace

OLD MODEL NEW MODEL

 NABCOR Postharvest Processing Center
IMPROVEMENTS MADE
2. Double-walled
furnace covers with
cooling system to
prevent warping

OLD MODEL NEW MODEL

 NABCOR Postharvest Processing Center
IMPROVEMENTS MADE

3. Improved Control
System

OLD MODEL NEW MODEL

 NABCOR Postharvest Processing Center
IMPROVEMENTS MADE

4. Corn on Cob Pre-

cleaner system
 NABCOR Postharvest Processing Center
IMPROVEMENTS MADE
5. Use of LSU type grain
dryer resulted to less
dust and more
uniform drying

OLD MODEL
NEW MODEL
 Status of NABCOR
Postharvest Processing and Trading Center
1. Sta. Marcela, Apayao 11. Liloy, Zamboanga
Norte
2. Paracelis, Mt. Province 12. R. Magsaysay,
Zamboanga Sur
3. Bantay, Ilocos Sur 13. Linamon, Lanao Norte
4. Rosales, Pangasinan 14. Talakag, Bukidnon
5. Jones, Isabela 15. Banga, South
Cotabato
6. Maddela, Quirino 16. Kabacan, North
Cotabato
7. Tigaon, Camarines Sur 17. Alamada, North
Cotabato
8. Kabankalan, Negros Occ. 18. Malungon, Sarangani
9. Sagay, Negros Occ. 19. Bayugan, Agusan Sur
10. S. Osmena, Zamboanga
Source: NABCOR Norte
 VILLAGE TYPE CORN DRYING
CENTER
CONCEPT
• Small scale version of
NABCOR PHPTC
• Capacity is 10 tons Corn on
Cob Dryer and LSU is 6 tons
• Machinerty Package is P3M
• Recipient counterpart is
warehouse (180sqm) and
transformer (35kVA)
• Uses PHilMech-design multi-
fuel biomass furnace
CORN ON COB DRYER
CORN ON COB DRYER
LSU TYPE GRAIN DRYER
LSU TYPE GRAIN DRYER
PhilMech MULTI-FUEL BIOMASS FURNACE
 CORN POSTHARVEST LOSSES

TOTAL LOSSES = 12.7%

Source: PhilMech
 POSTHARVEST LOSSES SAVED

One set of VILLAGE TYPE

DRYER can save up to
31.8 tons of corn
grains annually.

Source: PhilMech
 POSTHARVEST LOSSES SAVED

Procuring 50 units can save up

to 1,590 tons of corn grains
annually
That’s equivalent to P15.9M
worth of money

Source: PhilMech
 POSTHARVEST LOSSES SAVED

One unit of
NABCOR Corn
Postharvest
Processing &
Trading Center
can save up to
570 tons of
grains annually

Source: PhilMech
 POSTHARVEST LOSSES SAVED

Procuring 5 units of
NABCOR Corn
Postharvest
Processing &
Trading Center
can save up to
2,850 tons of
grains annually
That’s equivalent to
P28.5M worth of
money

Source: PhilMech
 POSTHARVEST LOSSES SAVED

Procuring 100 units

of Hermetic
Cocoons can
save up to 300
tons of grains
annually
That’s equivalent to
P3M worth of
money

Source: PhilMech
 STATUS OF VILLAGE TYPE DRYERS

1. More than 100 units

of 10 MT capacity was
installed nationwide
from 2009 to 2012

2. 40 units of 20 MT
capacity is targeted
for 2013
 RECENT RESEARCH FINDINGS

90°C
Temp
1. Drying time can be setting
reduced from 18
hours to 8 hours for
CORN ON COBS by
using 90°C
temperature with
acceptable quality

Source: PhilMech
 RECENT RESEARCH FINDINGS

2. Drying time can be

reduced to half for LSU
type Grain Dryer with 120°C
design by increasing the Temp
setting
drying temperature to
120 deg C.
3. Effect on quality is
acceptable under PAES
standards. But how
about for commercial
millers and food grade?
 IMPLICATIONS OF RESEARCH FINDINGS

• Drying capacity can be doubled but will require

larger furnace
• This will mean 50% less number of units required
for village type and NABCOR dryers.
“Quality is everyone’s responsibility”

“We should work on our process, not the

outcome of our processes”

……….W. Edwards Deming