Grain packing and unpacking equipment

Everything You Need to Know About Grain Storage

Apart from growing, harvesting, transporting, and selling grain, there is another important stage in the grain business – grain storage. This stage is divided into packing and unpacking and assumes, for convenience and quick execution, the use of special equipment. Let’s examine in more detail the methods of grain storage, the necessary field equipment for this, and their varieties.

The Best Ways to Store Grain in Ukraine

Today in Ukraine, three methods of grain storage are most commonly used.

Agronomists with large and medium-sized farms use modular and circular grain storage units, which are capable of holding up to five thousand tons of grain. The main advantage of both modular and circular grain storages is that they are quickly and easily assembled. The downside is that modular grain storages require the use of ventilation systems, which need a nearby source of electricity.

For long-term storage of grain, small farms can use underground grain storage facilities. Thanks to the sealing, in underground storage facilities, the grain is protected from mold, fungi, and insects. In this way, the energy of germination and similarity are not lost, even if the grain lies there for several years.

The modern and most widespread method, already widely used in Ukraine, is storing grain in bags. The biggest advantage of this method – similar to an underground grain storage facility – is the ability to hermetically store grain for a long period. This allows not to rush with sales, not to spend money on storage in an elevator, and to sell when the prices and conditions are most favorable for the farmer.

What equipment is required for storing grain in bags?

The company Egritech offers all the necessary equipment for packing grain into bags. To date, the company, in collaboration with British engineers, has released the following machines:

• The first Ukrainian polymer bag reeler, Agro Bag Winder. This equipment is capable of reeling 12 bags per hour, which is an unparalleled productivity for the Ukrainian grain business.
• The Agro Bag G 250 grain loader – is a high-performance grain loader that can handle up to 250 tons per hour.

Grain packing equipment is designed in such a way that it allows tightly packing grain into bags. Additionally, the design prevents any grain loss during the packing process.

Advantages of Storing Grain in Bags

The main advantage of using a machine for loading grain into bags is the saving of finances and time that you would have spent on preserving the grain using other technologies. Everything happens right in the field; you only need to prepare the ground so that it is suitable for storing grain in bags. Preparation involves leveling the area and removing sharp objects that could damage the bags.

Grain in bags can be stored for up to 18 months – during this time, you can sell it at your leisure, both the entire weight stored in the bag and a portion of it.

Considering the unstable situation in the country due to the full-scale invasion, the technology for storing grain in bags solves two problems at once. Firstly, if the elevators are overloaded or destroyed by shelling, using bags is the best economical alternative for long-term storage of grain on your own territory. Secondly, such long-term storage allows you to wait out export disruptions, again reducing the cost of storing grain elsewhere.

Features of Storing Grain in Bags

If you have equipment for storing grain in bags, you need to be aware of some features of this method.

• There is currently high demand for the manufacture of sleeves for grain storage, which can lead to shortages in summer and autumn. It’s better to order and purchase bags in advance to avoid delays that can lead to costs or loss of some of the grain.
• A sleeve for grain is a one-time packaging. After unloading the grain from it, the bag should be disposed of.
• The farmer is responsible for the storage of grain in sleeves. At least once a week, an inspection of the sleeves should be carried out, and any problems should be addressed independently.
• It’s also necessary to monitor the quality of the grain, which is the farmer’s responsibility as well. For this purpose, a hole is made in the sleeve, and through it, a probe takes a sample of the grain, which is then checked for quality. The hole is then sealed with special tape.
• Grains from the previous year can also be packed in the sleeves, not just the new harvest.
• The cost of storing grain in sleeves is approximately 15-20 hryvnias per ton per month, while storage in elevators will cost about 100 hryvnias per ton per month. And this does not include additional expenses, such as transportation, loading, and unloading.
• Grain can be shipped in parts from the sleeves, and then they can be sealed tight again. This does not affect the quality of the grain at all.

The simple design of this machine does not require complex technical maintenance and ensures uninterrupted operation under any conditions. AGRO BAG G 250 is manufactured at the facilities of AG-BAG-Ukraine according to modern trends—the design allows disassembling the machine to reduce its size for transportation, and the direct auger drive facilitates maintenance and leads to reduced consumable materials.