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Losses and Quality of Stored Rice at Farmers Level: an Assessment in Selected Regions of Bangladesh

M. Z. Abedin
Professor
Department of Farm Structure, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymcnsingh-2202, Bangladesh

M. Z. Rahman
Associate Professor
Department of Farm Structure, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymcnsingh-2202, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

The study aimed at assessing the in-store losses of rice caused by biotic and abiotic factors in the storage structures/containers at farmers' level. The farmers' suggested ways of maintaining the quality in stored rice are also discussed. A total of 96 villages covering 26 Upazilas under 14 civil districts across the country were selected for present investigation. In all, 1360 samples of Aus, Aman and Boro rice farmers in the crop years of 2008 and 2009 were selected randomly and purposively from the study areas and put into marginal, small, medium and large farm category based on their land ownerships. Data were collected through pre-tested questionnaires. Different traditional rice storage structures/containers like Dole, Beth, Inside-house Gala, Outside-house Gala, Steel/Plastic drums, Motka, Gunny bag and Plastic/Polythene bags were commonly used by farmers in the study areas. The storage time of rice varied from 3.05 to 7.24 months irrespective of rice, farm and region with the overall average being 5.5 months. Significant losses both in quality and quantity of stored rice during the storage period occurred through the activities of both biotic and abiotic factors. Rice stored in the storage structures/containers remained good for up to about 5 months. The average in-store losses occurred for Aus, Aman and Bora rice were respectively 3.68, 3.80 and 4.12% with the aggregated average being 3.92%. The average in-store losses of rice in large, medium, small and marginal farmers were 4.48, 3.92, 4.0 and 3.59% respectively. The in-store losses occurred in regions 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 were 3.31, 5.23, 3.62, 4.44 and 3.25% respectively. Farmers should be imparted training on modern techniques of storage towards reducing in-storage losses. A number of ways have been suggested for maintaining quality level of in-stored rice including cleaning and drying up to safe moisture content prior to storage, storing rice in well protected containers, time-to-time checking, use of IPM methods, construction of indoor pucca storage structures for large and medium farmers and common outdoor pucca storage structures at village/union level for small and marginal farmers.

Keywords: Losses, Quality, Stored rice, Assessment

Location: 96 villages covering 26 Upazilas under 14 civil districts

Start Date: 00-00-2008

End Date: 00-00-2009

Program Area: Socio-economic and Policy

Commodity: Rice

Objectives:

1. To assess the in-store losses of rice at farmers' level caused by biotic and abiotic factors,

2. To find the farmers' suggested ways of maintaining quality level of in-stored rice for safe food availability.

Methodology:

The Aus rice sample represented 13.61% of large farm households, 5.00% medium, 2.82% small and 1.61% marginal households. Aman rice sample represented 13.20% large farm households, 4.43% medium, 3.71% small and 1.61% marginal households. Bora rice sample represented 12.66% large farm households, 4.40% medium, 3.45% small and 1.57% marginal households. The samples were separately selected from Aus, Aman and Bora rice producing farm households from each area under the study. For the study 138 sample household were selected from the 1060 large farm households, 417 sample households were selected from the 9269 medium farm households, 437 sample households from the 12678 small farm households and 368 sample households from the 23106 marginal farm households. The proportion of selected large, medium, small and marginal sample farm households were 1: 3: 3.2: 2.7. The primary data were collected separately from Aus, Aman and Bora rice households. Separate questionnaires and PRA check lists were also used for collecting the primary data. The questionnaires were prepared based on the experience gathered in the pilot survey conducted in some 14 Upazilas and 55 villages under the selected study areas. The questionnaires were pre-tested amongst 110 farm households. The questionnaires were modified based on the experience and feedback gathered through discussions with the farmers of different categories, districts and upazila agriculture officers and in-house inception workshops. Data were collected by the research team and six trained enumerators for six months with the assistance of Upazila Agriculture Officers and Sub- Assistant Agriculture Officers in each Upazila. Data collection continued from March through August 2009, covering Aman, Bora and Aus rice in a cropping year. The PRA check lists were prepared and pre-tested and the final PRA check lists were used amongst 48 FGD groups consisting of large, medium, small and marginal farmers of 24 Upazilas. The questionnaires were filled up by face-to-face interviews with the household respondent at their leisure times. The collected primary data were edited both at the field and at the laboratory. The secondary data were collected from publications of different research institutes including BRRI and Rice Foundation, BBS and websites. Simple statistical tools including Excel and SPSS were used for analysis.

Source of Information: Bangladesh Journal of Agricultural Engineering , Vol: 22 (1&2), PP: 19-35, 2011, ISSN: 1015-4426

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Significant losses both in quality and quantity in in-stored rice occurred due to the influence of both biotic and abiotic factors. In-store loss of rice was about 4% at aggregate level with the highest being for Bora and the lowest for Aus rice. The overall average storage time was 5.5 months and the stored rice remained good up to about 5 months. Gunny and Plastic/ Polythene bags were mostly used by the farmers for storing rice for short duration. On the other hand, Dole, Berh, Gala, Motka, Steel/Plastic drums were used for long period of storage of which Dole, Berh and Plastic drum were the least loss storage structures/ containers In-store losses of rice at aggregate level were the lowest for marginal farms. The large farmers incurred the highest in-store losses. The. weather parameters have a great effect on in-storage conditioning of rice in addition to -type of storage structures/containers, duration of storage and initial moisture content of stored rice and causes discrepancies in magnitude of losses. Properly cleaning and drying of rice up to safe moisture content prior to storage, use of well-protected storage structures/ containers, time-to-time checking and use of IPM method in stored rice are the effective ways in maintaining the quality of rice. The farmers can be given institutional credit and training to enhance their capacity and awareness for safe storage. The farmers should also be kept informed well ahead about natural calamities so that they could take on time measure to safe their stored rice.

Knowledge Management: Journal