SindArroz-SC holds workshop on post-harvest processes

To celebrate the end of another year, the Rice Industry Union of Santa Catarina (SindArroz-SC) brought together its members at the Criciúma Business Association (ACIC) for a workshop. The lecture on “Drying, classification and storage of rice”, which highlighted the importance of post-harvest processes for industry professionals, was given by the general director of Embrapii InovaAgro and coordinator of LabGrãos – Post-Harvest, Industrialization and Grain Quality Laboratory, Professor Maurício de Oliveira.

As the southern region of Brazil is responsible for the vast majority of national grain production, rice is an extremely important crop that needs to follow a series of detailed processes during its processing so that it can be sold with the high quality guarantee for which we are known worldwide.

The speaker has been studying rice for more than two decades at the Federal University of Pelotas, in Rio Grande do Sul, and is the author of research and books on the grain, as well as leader of the Research Group on Post-Harvest, Industrialization and Quality of Cereals and Oilseeds at CNPq.

During the workshop, Oliveira discussed new technologies, techniques and necessary care during various stages of the grain processing process. “I believe that this type of event is very important, because without qualified people, we cannot achieve excellence in the processes. Drying, classification and storage after harvesting can be sources of losses for the rice production chain, so having this technical debate is essential for us to work even harder to avoid these problems and to improve the quality of the final product,” emphasizes the professor.

In the speaker's view, the processes discussed at the meeting make a huge difference in the product that ends up on Brazilians' plates. "These are essential steps that ensure food safety. And the expectation is that these professionals will return to their industries and apply this information in practice. Thus, we will have achieved our major goal of bringing this topic to the debate," he highlights.

For the president of SindArroz-SC, Walmir Rampinelli, the topics brought up for discussion among members are essential to increasingly improve rice production in Santa Catarina. “We are pleased to see all these people, more than 80 professionals who work in the associated industries, seeking knowledge to improve post-harvest techniques. Even more so when learning from a great rice scholar like Professor Maurício, who is a national leader in rice and who dedicates himself daily to developing studies and research that will contribute to the evolution of the production chain. We will certainly return to the industries and apply the knowledge passed on,” emphasizes the president.