How to reduce losses in rice harvest

perdas na colheita de arroz

Have you been wondering how to reduce losses in the rice harvest? Harvesting is one of the most critical stages in the rice production process, as it helps to ensure a quality product and provides a higher yield to the tillage.

However, if poorly conducted, the harvest can lead to grain losses and generate damage. Therefore, some precautions are necessary to reduce injuries and ensure crop productivity.

Learn how to get better harvest results

Defining the ideal harvest point directly impacts the productivity of your crop. This is because harvesting too early can represent immature, plastered, and malformed grains.

On the other hand, when rice is harvested too moist or too late, with low moisture content, the productivity and quality of the grains are impaired.

In order to know the ideal harvest point, factors such as the plantation development cycle time must be taken into account. The appropriate moisture content must be between 18% and 23%.

Another important aspect is the visual change of the grain’s husk: when two-thirds of the panicle are ripe, it will be time to harvest. You can also evaluate the ideal moment by sampling touch: if the grain breaks, it is at the point of harvest; if you knead, the rice still needs to ripen a little more.

It is also important to pay attention to the harvest time. The operation must be avoided in the morning when the grains are still moistened by dew. If rain occurs, the rice should be allowed to dry completely. Otherwise, there may be an obstruction in the harvester.

perdas na colheita de arroz

Check out the tips to reduce losses in the rice harvest

The size of the crop must be planned according to the harvesting capacity available on the property. Factors such as labor, harvesters, and dryers must be considered.

In mechanized harvesting, the operation is performed by several models and types of machines, whether pulled by a tractor or self-propelled harvesters.

A single harvester is capable of harvesting an average of 2,000 bags per day. But to obtain maximum efficiency on the trail, with minimum damage and grain loss, it is necessary to pay attention to the correct adjustment of the equipment. For this, it is essential to adjust the opening between the concave and the plant beater cylinder.

Also, the speed of the reel needs to be slightly higher than the advance speed of the machine. In this way, the harvested plants are pulled correctly into the machine. Excessive operating speeds should be avoided, as they substantially increase losses.

Here are other tips for a successful harvest without loss of rice harvest:

  • The moisture content of the grains at harvest should be the most appropriate. After all, it interferes with the yield of whole grains in the processing and loss of production.
  • Early drainage favors water savings but can lead to a decrease in production. Generally, the drainage time should be carried out ten days before the rice is cut. Thus, it offers greater ease of locomotion of the machine in the area, without prejudice to the production and quality of grains.
  • The same land should not be used to plant the cereal for two consecutive years. The ideal is to wait an interval of at least one year. Otherwise, production will not be as abundant, and rice may be of low quality.
  • After harvesting, care must be taken with the remains of the plant that remain on the ground. After all, they take time to decompose and can hinder the germination of the next seeds. The presence of many weeds in the crop affects the performance of the machines, as it causes clogging. To avoid these problems, it is recommended to plow the earth to squeeze out the waste and facilitate decomposition.

perdas na colheita de arroz

Learn how to do post-harvest management

Care in the post-harvest period is also very important, as they ensure that the beans have adequate drying and storage.

  See what the recommended post-harvest procedures are:

  • Damage caused by machines during the harvest must be corrected to make sowing possible during the preferred growing season. The machines must be used to readjust the area and level the soil surface. The incorporation of the stubble facilitates the decomposition of the crop.
  • Freshly harvested rice usually has too much moisture to be stored safely. So it is necessary to dry it. After all, a high degree of humidity during storage causes quality, germination power, and grain vigor loss.
  • Drying can be done by two processes: natural and artificial. The natural is to use heat and wind for drying. The artificial, in turn, is performed with the use of dryers specially designed for this purpose.
  • The beans must be cleaned and dried with conventional dryers to a moisture content of 15%. Then, they pass to lung silos to complete drying (12%) and stabilize the product.
  • o avoid damage to rice, when it is intended for planting, the drying temperature must be between 42º C and 45º C. When drying grains for consumption, the air temperature must not exceed 70ºC.
  • Grain storage is another important step in controlling and maintaining product quality. Deficiencies in this stage translate into bottlenecks in the agricultural sector, marketing, and distribution.
  • o be better preserved in storage, the rice must be clean and have a moisture content between 13% and 14%.

perdas na colheita de arroz

See how Roblift Agro helps in rice production

Equipment that has stood out in the rice culture is the Roblift Agro, a multipurpose roll on-roll off trailer recognized for its versatility and economy.

This equipment can be used as a bulk carrier during the harvest, as a trailer to streamline the planting process with the supply of fertilizer, to assist spraying with the water tank, among other applications. In this way, the farmer can harvest with just one tractor, reducing labor, fuel, and maintenance costs.

Another great advantage is that it is able to operate in places with difficult access, such as wet terrain, even in periods of rain. With all these features, Roblift optimizes the potential of tractor use to the maximum and increases the productivity of your business.

This was our article on how to reduce losses in the rice harvest. Did you like our report? Do you want to know more about the different applications of Roblift Agro in the field? Access here!