Do Hermetic Storage Technology Significantly Abate Losses of Rice Over Time? An Economic Evaluation

Abstract

In Bangladesh, traditional technologies like Dole, Auri, Bamboo Gola, Motka, and Plastic bag are widely used in rice storage. Hot and humid weather of the country favors the growth of insects in these which are not functional for rice storage. Recently, hermetic bag (HB) GrainPro and PICS bags are suggested for rice storage without being subjected to economic analysis in the country. Very few empirical studies on the economic analysis of storage technologies were conducted at laboratory and field conditions. In it, losses of rice storage using traditional technologies and HB were evaluated to judge the economic effects of these. Moreover, determinants of storage benefit were analyzed for different devices and econometric modeling was formulated to have the understanding the benefit of reduced loss by storage over time. These benefits were found to increase with time meaning that a farmer gained more benefit by storing longer period in HB. Results showed that economically feasible and attractive in investing these technologies at a discount rate of 12 percent by using financial analytical tools like net present value (NPV) and benefit-cost ratio (BCR) of different storage technologies. The results also indicate that gain of storage clearly increased over time. Considering BCR, Plastic drum use in rice storage is the most profitable storage technology followed by GrainPro and PICS Bag for consumption. Regression analysis of treatment and time effect of storage indicated that percentage profit per month is found the highest in GrainPro bag followed by PICS bag, Dole, Plastic bag and Motka, respectively. Promotion of PICS and GrainPro bags in rice seed storage would be more cost-effective and economically feasible to farmers.