PhilMech eyes reduction in seaweed postharvest losses

The Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech) has reported initial success in testing the utilization of drying technologies to reduce postharvest losses in seaweeds, which is one of the popular marine exports of the country.

Based on PhilMech studies, postharvest losses in seaweed farming ranges from 20% to 22% and this can be reduced from 5% to 10%, which could help increase incomes of seaweed farmers. With applicable technologies, the time it takes to dry seaweeds could also be reduced from 20% to 30%.

“Preliminary analysis has revealed that modifying simple technologies like the PhilMech-designed multi-commodity solar tunnel dryer could reduce drying time and postharvest losses,” said PhilMech Executive Director Ricardo L. Cachuela.
The PhilMech-designed dryer is also covered which protects newly-harvested seaweeds from rains and contaminants from the environment.

At present, seaweed farmers dry their harvests on plastic or tarpaulin mats that are just laid on the ground, which exposes harvests to various agents of deterioration.

The project sites where the seaweed drying modules were tested are located in the provinces Palawan, Sorsogon, Zambales, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, Cebu, Bohol and Guimaras.

Cachuela said that reducing the postharvest losses of seaweeds from 5% to 10% could help boost the volume of the country’s seaweed exports. Dr. Rodrigo Estigoy, Head Applied Communication Division, PhilMech