Quality Losses Of Rice Due To Delay In Harvesting And The Use Of Differensial Drying Method (Case Study In Wajo District South Sulawesi)

Abstract

Delay the harvest are often done by farmers in Wajo, South Sulawesi. It is caused by the lack of manpower and climate change. Delay the harvest can cause quality and quantity loss of grain. The longer of delay harvest resulting a decreased percentage of head grains, increased of broken grains, groats and damage grains. Sun drying after threshing is a hereditary habit of the farmers in Wajo. The objective of this study were to : (1) analyze the effect of delay in harvesting followed by threshing on rice quality losses, (2) analyze the effect of drying with lamporan and tarpaulin on rice quality losses, (3) measure the quality of rice Ciliwung varieties produced, and (4) calculate the economic value added of rice Ciliwung varieties. This study was carried out in Wajo district South Sulawesi, varieties of Ciliwung was selected as sample of rice. The results showed the percentage of damaged and yellow grains without delay (P0) were 2.25 and 0.27%, delayed 3 days (P1) were 5.8 and 0.77%, delayed 6 days (P2) were 6.95 and 1.03%, and delayed 10 days (P3) were 13.25 and 1.48%. The results of quality loss analysis of head grains with 3 days delayed (P1) was 1.29%, 6 days delayed (P2) was 2.82%, and 10 days delayed (P3) was 5.56%. These results showed that the lowest quality loss of head grains 1.76% was drying on lamporan and 3 days delayed (A1P1), while the highest 6.33% on was drying lamporan and 10 days delayed (A1P3). The rice quality measurement of Ciliwung varieties from Wajo district of South Sulawesi was categorized in III, IV and V of rice quality standard based on SNI No. 01-6128-2008. The ratio of value added in postharvest handling of this research was categorized in intermediate economic value added (16 to 40%) and low<15%. The ratio of each treatment were 16.85, 15.13, 10.51, and 7.84%.