Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija – Amid rising labor costs and a dwindling number of farmworkers, the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) is providing a new solution to help farmers plant more efficiently and reduce production expenses.
In a field demonstration held in Brgy. Bangad, PhilRice introduced a riding-type paddy seeder capable of planting up to 2.5ha per day while consuming just 1 L of gasoline in an hour.
“This machine could reduce my planting cost by up to 80%. Labor is becoming scarce and expensive. What happens when there are only a few planters left? This machine could be a solution,” Marianito Pararuan, one of the farmers who tested the equipment, said in Filipino.
The machine plants in eight rows at a time, simultaneously digging channels and dropping pre-germinated seeds. This process significantly cuts down on time and labor, which typically cost farmers around PhP8,500/ha using manual transplanting.
“With this machine, I only need to pay for fuel. It’s cost-effective, easy to use, and even women can operate it,” said Marissa V. Tadeo, another participating farmer.
The seeder also dramatically reduces seed usage. While traditional broadcast methods require up to 100kg of seeds per hectare, the riding-type paddy seeder uses only 35-40kg, helping farmers save up to 65% on seeds.
PhilRice estimates that eliminating the need for seedbed preparation and transplanting labor could lead to overall savings of at least 15% in production costs.
Powered by a 6.5-hp gasoline engine, the machine allows farmers to control planting density through adjustable speeds. At 120 rpm, it plants more densely; while 140 rpm allows wider spacing, covering more area with fewer seeds.
To ensure optimal performance, inbred seeds should be soaked and incubated for 24hr, and hybrids for 12hr. A brief air-drying period of at least 30min is recommended to prevent clumping during planting.
The machine is still under evaluation with field trials and farmer feedback being gathered from different regions before it becomes commercially available.
