Top 5 Agriculture Storage Practices

Introduction

The purpose of this report is to introduce and present corn products handling procedures along with an opportunity to go through the mentioned procedures and for further valuable inputs where required as area for improvement is always there.

As we are going to start a new business revolving around corn / starches, this environment needs specific attention from top to bottom and requirements. 

Types of Foods Grains

1-Maize Storage Method

2-Corn Storage Method

3- Paddy Storage

4-Wheat Storage

5-Rice Storage

Warehousing is a key component of any supply chain, and it becomes more critical to sun supply chain in resource constrained environment. Good warehousing add value to the business and is a buffer against uncertainty and breakdowns in supply chain. A properly managed and appropriately housed material provides an opportunity to supply material with good quality uninterruptedly to the internal and external customers to become best in class.

Now when profits are squeezing due to competitive environment when multiple companies are running the same business, it becomes necessary to save cost and expenses on material management and supplies.

Here warehousing play its role. If lean theory is applied and innovative solution are embed in organizational culture utilizing available resources, remarkable cost savings may be attained in form of best

o   Cubic utilization

o   Lean practices & eliminating all type of wastes.

o   GMPs / 5S etc.

o   By adhering OHSAS on workplace.

o   By Enhancing Velocity / Visibility and Reducing variability.

o   Encouraging trainings at all levels within department.

Maize is purchased twice in a year. Summer maize receipt season which starts in May, June while second maize purchase season is winter season which lasts from December till February.

Types of Corn

1-Yellow Maize Corn

2-White Maize Corn

3-Waxy Maize Corn

4- Flint Corn

Types of Storage

1-    Stacks (Packing Material Bags)

2-    Silos

Silo Storage Method:-

Two Type of Silo available in national and international market for storage of grain wheat and maize.

Silo Types:-

1-    Hooper Type Silos

2-    Flat Bottom Silo

Parts of Grain Storage Silos

·        Chain Conveyor

·        Bucket Elevator

·        Belt Conveyor

·        Air Sanction Separator

·        Centrifugal Dust Collector

·        Pulse Dust Filter

·        Double Deck Drum Cleaner

·        Drum Cleaner

·         Grain Dyer

·        Grain Plate Form Structure Unloading

Advantage of Grain Storage Silo

Silo is metal type cylinder use for long term maize grain storage. Many advantage grain storage in silo like,

1-    Saving of Fumigation Cost

2-    Save from Insect killer

3-    Save for difference temperature

4-    Human Safety during loading unloading and transfer

5-    Easier for Loading and Unloading

6-    Easy Transfer from one location to another location

7-    Internal Cleaning System

8-    Internal Drying System

9-    Minimum Wastage

10-Minium Labor Cost

Silo Disadvantage

·        Discharge of Air

·        Electrical Consumption

·        Preventive Maintenance

·        Accumulation of Carbon Di-Oxide

 

 

Types of Packing Material for Corn Storage

1-    Jute Bags

2-    PPW Bags

 

01.    Jute Bags:-

Jute bags is an ideal packaging for corn storage, it absorbs air into bag which provide slight aeration to bag which is supportive for grain health as moisture view point. 100kg jute bag is used for its packing which requires rigorous labor to stack and restack.

 

A.    Jute Bag Age: Usually cycle time of jute bags is 3 to 4 years if handled safely by the laborers during stacking and de-stacking.

 

B.    Jute Bag Cleaning: -When filled bags are provided for production which are stored in open area for few months are cleaned thoroughly with the help of jute bag cleaning machines and bundled and stored aside safely and covered with tarpaulins and also passed through low fumigation process to make weevil and insect free. These cleaned bags are put aside under cover to save against inclement weather / counted and recorded and finally dispatched at appropriate time to market/farmers for next turn of maize purchase. Record is kept farmer and market wise.

Planning regarding jute bags purchase requires joint efforts by the maize purchase and warehouse team to have clear picture about availability of existing stock and for new to purchase.

 

2.     Plastic Bags:-

Plastic bags are also used for minimum storage time, we have experienced these bags for filling/transportation from market and storage and concluded following observations:-

 

A.    Plastic bags are economical as compare to jute bags.

B.     Plastic bags are not meant for longer storage period of time, do not store more than two months.

C.     Plastic bags do not permit air to penetrate into bags which is dangerous if high moisture grain is packed and stored for more than one month.

D.    Plastic bags are of slippery nature and so not rest on stack in height, if bags are slipped down restacking is required which incurs labor cost.

 

Conclusion. Plastic bags are only recommended for logistics purpose from marker/farmer to mill premises and directly dump for processing. It would surely save remarkable share of investment. If bags needs storage, do not go for prolonged storage.

 

 

 

Maize Preservation:-

Storage Maize Preservation through Fumigation

Types of Fumigation

Silo Fumigation

Quarantine Fumigation

Non-Quarantine Fumigation

Container Fumigation

Following measure are taken to save corn quality from weevil and other flying insects and rodents:-

01. DDVP which is applied in a liquid chemical form which is sprayed-out on the daily basis. DDVP has very quick action on flying insects.

 

2.     Maize fumigation (Agtoxin), a procedure is in place to fumigate the stored grain in open area. It spread phosphine gas horizontal and vertically into the stack after placing tablets. Usually 8 to 10 days required to achieve optimum results of fumigation. This exercise is carried out in humid weather when flies start roaming around the environment and damage grain quality as well as weevil also moves to finished goods which results in customer complaint if insects are entered into bags or reside on upper portion of bags at sealing/stitching location.

The results or efficacy of maize fumigation is verified with the help of PPM meter if it goes > 700 it means we have achieved our target effectively.