The DOST-developed transplanter and harvester indeed have made farming more efficient.
The transplanter can sow seedlings in two hectares per day, doubling the efforts of 20 farmers who can do the task in just a hectare a day. DOST’s prototype transplanter can be used with the common type of hand-tractor though other designs are being developed.
The transplanter’s initial testing in Regions 3 and 4-A showed an 80 percent efficiency rate, which means that it meets the requirements of the Philippine Agricultural Engineering Standards.
Meanwhile, the combine harvester can reap grain crops on a two-hectare rice field in four days. Field trials show that the harvester works as efficiently as its commercial counterparts but at a lesser cost. Moreover, it can also do other functions such as threshing and sacking.
The harvester and transplanter cost around P150,000 and P100,000 respectively while those in the market now cost around P200,000 to P250,000 for a transplanter and P270,000 to P350,000 for the harvester.
These two innovative farming equipment, developed by the DOST-Metals Industry Research and Development Center, can be viewed during the 2016 NSTW S&T Fair July 25-29 at the DOST Complex in Bicutan, Taguig City. The exhibits and other features are free and open to the public. For more information, please visitnstw.dost.gov.ph and NSTW Facebook page at 2016NSTW or email the NSTW secretariat at [email protected] or call 837-2191 to 94.
