News Details

Innovators Aim to End Grain Drying Woes as PATEEX 2025 Showcases Portable Heating Tech for Farmers

NPO

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November 2, 2025

Magalang, Pampanga, Philippines — The Philippines’ long-standing grain-drying crisis — blamed for billions of pesos in annual post-harvest losses — may soon see a technological breakthrough. A new affordable grain-drying solution is set to be unveiled at the upcoming Philippine AgriTech Ecosystem Expo (PATEEX) 2025, offering hope to millions of smallholder farmers battered by erratic weather and outdated post-harvest methods.

Persistent Challenge for Decades

Despite massive rice production gains, post-harvest inefficiencies remain a stumbling block.

A 2025 survey by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) found that overall post-production losses in the Philippine rice value chain hover around 14.5 percent, with as much as 30 percent of those losses traced to poor drying practices. Farmers continue to rely on roadside or open-field sun drying — methods that expose grains to contamination, vehicular damage, and unpredictable rain. (JICA, 2025)

The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) warns that delays of just two days after harvest can cause yellowing, cracking, and fermentation of paddy, resulting in significant quality and income losses. “Wet paddy must be dried as soon as possible,” PhilRice emphasized in its Post-Care on Rice bulletin. (PhilRice, 2023)

Meanwhile, the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech) says adoption of mechanical dryers remains limited due to cost and maintenance concerns. “Resource-limited farmers often find mechanical dryers financially out of reach,” the agency noted. (PhilMech News, 2023)

A Breakthrough on the Horizon: Flexible Portable Dryer

This November, innovators will introduce a potential game-changer during the Philippine AgriTech Ecosystem Expo 2025 (PATEEX 2025), slated for November 28–30, 2025 at Pampanga State Agricultural University, Magalang, Pampanga.

Among the featured technologies is a Flexible Electronic Portable Heating Device — part of inventor Joel Sotomayor’s “Flexible Microgrids” innovation — designed to provide affordable, weather-independent grain-drying solutions for rural farmers and cooperatives.

The device reportedly operates on low-voltage, modular microgrid power and can be scaled for small-batch or community-level use. Its design emphasizes energy efficiency, portability, and cost-effectiveness, enabling farmers to dry palay even during rainy or humid conditions without relying on expensive fuel-based dryers.

According to PATEEX organizers, the technology will be demonstrated alongside other smart-farming and climate-resilient systems, aligning with the expo’s advocacy to “empower cooperatives, uplift farmers, and reduce post-harvest losses through affordable innovation.”

“PATEEX 2025 will be a platform where Filipino inventors and innovators like Joel Sotomayor can present real, scalable solutions that make agriculture more efficient and inclusive,” said Henry Bayubay, president of BB 88 Advertising and Digital Solutions Inc., one of the event’s lead organizers and innovator.

Economic and Climate Context

The drying bottleneck costs the Philippines an estimated ₱7 billion annually, based on 2024 data from the Department of Agriculture (DA). (ABS-CBN News, 2024)

The country also faces an average of 20 typhoons each year, making traditional sun-drying unreliable. A 2021 PhilMech report found that post-harvest losses in key crops rise to as much as 50 percent during extreme weather events. (PhilMech, 2021)

Experts from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) and UN-CSAM have long urged the Philippines to invest in “hybrid solar-mechanical and biomass-fueled dryers” and to localize drying infrastructure through cooperative models. (ACIAR, 2008)

The upcoming PATEEX demonstration, organizers say, could complement such recommendations by introducing low-cost, portable alternatives that fit the needs of small-farm communities.

Looking Ahead

As the agriculture sector braces for climate change and market volatility, innovation-driven solutions like Sotomayor’s flexible heating device could redefine how Philippine farmers manage post-harvest handling.

If proven viable, it could mark the first step toward affordable, decentralized drying systems—a critical piece in ensuring food security, higher farmer incomes, and a resilient grain economy.

“For decades, we’ve known the problem,” one agricultural expert commented. “What we need now are accessible, Filipino-made technologies that bring solutions straight to the farms — not just pilot projects.”

With PATEEX 2025 poised to spotlight inventions that merge science and sustainability, the fight to end post-harvest grain losses in the Philippines may finally be turning a corner.

Join PATEEX 2025! Visit our website and reserved your slot at

Clik here https://pateex.com/src/new_registration.php

NPO News Team!