A pneumatic corn planter

A pneumatic corn planter is now up for commercialization.

The farm machine was designed and developed by agricultural engineers and researchers Ofero Capariño, Manolito Bulaong, Andres Tuates Jr., Wryan Quiel Viloria, Donald Mateo, Jimmy Esguerra, and Ruben Manalabe of the DA Bureau of Postharvest Research and Extension (BPRE) based in Muñoz, Nueva Ecija.

The tractor-drawn corn planter won two awards (technology generation/information generation and poster categories) in the recent 18th National Research Symposium organized by the DA-Bureau of Agricultural Research.

BPRE, currently headed by Director Ricardo Cachuela, reported that the machine’s highest planting capacity is 3.3 hectares per day and a field and hill planting efficiency of 93.73 percent and 77.05 percent, respectively.

During the trials, the corn planter showed an acceptable level in terms of technical performance, economic viability, and suitability under local condition and existing corn production practices, it reported.

The estimated investment cost is P585,349, including the reconditioned tractor and working capital. The machine is profitable and investment can be recovered in 3.55 years.

BPRE concluded: "Massive adoption of this technology will contribute in the government’s effort to preserve dollar earnings as a result of non-importation of corn machinery and equipment."

Among those now considering the corn planter is the PhilMaize Federation, a nationwide group of multipurpose cooperatives headed by Rosalie Ellasus of San Jacinto, Pangasinan. – Rudy A. Fernandez