Earlier this yr, Dr Charl van der Merwe turned supervisor of the Agbiz Grain desk. With almost 30 years’ expertise in grain dealing with, procurement, market evaluation, and strategic growth, he drives coverage advocacy, stakeholder engagement, and trade illustration.
What’s Agbiz Grain, and what does it do?
Agbiz Grain, established in 2014 by the biggest industrial grain dealing with and storage firms in South Africa, is a devoted desk inside Agbiz. Agbiz is a voluntary affiliation of agribusinesses in South and Southern Africa, working to create an atmosphere the place agribusinesses of all sizes can thrive, increase, and compete.
Agbiz Grain helps and promotes its members’ pursuits by representing them and liaising with grain trade our bodies, authorities, grain worth chain members, and associated service suppliers.
Give us a short overview of the historical past of grain storage in South Africa
The institution of agricultural co-operatives by grain farmers within the early 20th century performed a significant function in creating South Africa’s grain dealing with and storage trade.
Grain was initially saved in baggage at co-operative websites. In 1923, the then South African Railways constructed the primary railway silos. The scarcity of jute used to supply baggage supported the speedy growth of bigger bulk storage services within the Fifties, and the adoption of mix harvesters accelerated the enlargement of silo networks and grain-handling infrastructure.
Inform us extra about grain storage strategies used domestically
By the tip of the 20th century, most grain was saved in silos, supplemented by flat storage services. Within the mid-2000s, various strategies corresponding to bunkers and silo baggage had been launched in South Africa.
In keeping with 2024 knowledge from the South African Grain Data Service, silos and bins stay the popular storage technique on the industrial stage, comprising about 74% of complete storage. Of this, 12% are metal silos and 62% are cement silos. Bunkers account for 15%, silo baggage 10%, and dams and flat storage lower than 1%.
Every technique has its benefits and limitations. Silos are perfect for long-term storage, significantly for oilseeds the place aeration is important. They’ve decrease operational prices however require important upfront funding and a long-term view.
Silo baggage are a versatile, cost-effective answer for creating further storage throughout high-production seasons. Nevertheless, annual alternative prices make them operationally costly in contrast with different storage strategies.
Bunkers are cellular and might be relocated in response to shifting manufacturing developments, offering adaptability in a dynamic agricultural panorama.
What are the advantages of storing grain?
Efficient grain storage preserves high quality, reduces post-harvest losses, helps nationwide meals safety, and permits farmers to entry the market over longer durations. Furthermore, it ensures a steady and dependable provide of grain all year long, very important for native consumption and exports.
Do farmers provide a harvest forecast to ‘e-book’ space for storing?
The person companies have totally different programs, however most storage operators ask purchasers to offer harvest estimates earlier than the season. This helps plan consumption logistics and capability utilisation.
Do farmers promote their crops to storage firms, or simply hire area and promote later?
It is dependent upon the circumstances. Farmers could promote their grain on to a storage operator’s advertising division or retailer it to promote to different market members. Totally different grain storage companies have totally different pricing fashions, which might embody every day, seasonal, or annual charges per ton.
Clarify the storage course of.
Upon supply on the storage facility, the load is weighed, sampled, and graded in response to the grading rules and the specs agreed upon by the shopper and the operator. If accepted, the grain is offloaded and saved.
Good storage practices, together with hygiene protocols and pest management, are utilized. Some farmers clear their grain on-farm earlier than supply, whereas sure storage services supply cleansing, screening, and drying as an extra service.
Do sure forms of grain profit extra from storage than others?
Sure. Oilseeds, as an illustration, are vulnerable to spontaneous combustion; subsequently, they require extra intensive monitoring, cooling, and aeration than crops like maize.
Inform us extra about grain inventory monitoring and stock management.
Monitoring volumes is a vital a part of efficient grain storage. That is achieved by way of common bodily inspections and/or the usage of superior applied sciences, corresponding to temperature and moisture probes. Cloud-based programs present real-time knowledge corresponding to grain temperature, grain moisture, and carbon dioxide ranges that improve decision-making capabilities.
Evaluating precise bodily inventory to theoretical inventory, based mostly on documented deliveries and dispatches, is important. Expertise corresponding to 2D and 3D scanning can add worth to this course of.
Do you have got any tips about finest practices for grain administration?
Grain is a residing organic product that continues to breathe after harvest. As such, efficient administration is essential for sustaining high quality and stopping monetary losses.
Finest practices in grain administration embody correct grading, upkeep of storage infrastructure and gear, the usage of calibrated measurement instruments, fumigation to manage pests, making use of hygiene practices, and implementing meals security protocols.
For extra info electronic mail Dr Charl van der Merwe at [email protected], or go to agbizgrain.co.za.
