Grain prices can fluctuate wildly in a weather-driven market. It’s even more important to plan ahead when you take into account unpredictable trade agreements. A number of market strategies are geared toward long-term grain storage over a period of a year or more. An unpredictable market requires you to be proactive with your stored grain strategy. Here are some tips for long-term grain storage for this year’s harvest that will help you maximize the return on your labor.
Ready Your Grain Bins
Remove leftover grain that may have insects from bins, and make sure that underfloors are thoroughly cleaned. You should fumigate the bin at least five weeks before storing new grain if you find insects. Check or install grain temperature monitoring cables.
Don’t Waste Grain’s Life
Long-term grain storage requires respecting grain shelf life. Harvesting wet grain and letting it dry consumes a large amount of long-term storage space. Moisture holding times should be limited from four to eight hours to avoid problems with the allowable storage time. A good quality grain chiller machine from the best chiller manufacturer in India maintains all the necessary moisture inside the silos so that your grains remain fresh till the next sale.
Dry the Grain for a Proper Moisture
Moisture content is the only way through which you can store your grain for a longer period. It is not recommended to fight against the physical laws of grain storage. For example, if you are planning to store corn for the longest time, it requires to be dried to 13%, for soybeans, it’s 11% and for wheat, it requires 12.5%. Always remember that selling grains under 14% moisture content reduces the weight.
Keep a Check on the Weight
If there are high test weights, it means the grain has good storage properties. The buyer will always recommend kernels that have no cracks where molds can appear. Grains that are field dried have higher test weights. The best test weight for long-term grain storage is above 26 kg per bushel.
Store Best Quality Grain
The fresh harvest grain is the best it will ever be. Grain doesn’t improve during storage and by keeping this in mind; your grain’s condition during the harvest will determine the storage quality. Grain with low test weights, lots of fines, damaged kernels, and other issues become harder to store for long periods of time. Good grain increases the storage time.
Grain Aeration
Aeration is the best thing that you can do for your grains. Don’t ever get confused between aeration and temperature management. Aeration means controlling the temperature of your grain so that you can store the grains for a longer period. A long-term running grain chiller machine from the best chiller manufacturer in India can help you to maintain your grain’s moisture level by equally distributing the moisture level in the whole storage. The air must move completely through the grain before turning off and covering fans once the grain reaches the required temperature.
Keep Grains Cool in Summer Season
Sometimes, old school rules are considered by keeping the grain temperature within 10 degrees Celsius to 15 degrees Celsius of the outdoor temperature. These temperatures keep insects dormant and deter mold.
Conclusion
If you are willing to keep grains for long-term storage, you can prevent the entry of unwelcomed guests. Always try to avoid the infestation by cleaning and sterilizing bins and loading them with good condition insect-free grain. Try to chill the grain to 20 degrees Celsius in the winter months to kill insects and eggs on the drying floor and in the bin. A good quality grain chiller becomes the best option to maintain the required moisture in the grain storage and silos.
