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Modern Storage of

Agricultu

ral

Commodities

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Types Of Storage

Storage

Bag Storage

Traditional Storage

Modern Storage

Bulk Storage

Traditional Storage

Modern Storage

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Modern Bag StorageBag storage is normally employed for cereals and

pulses only. In most parts of Asia grain is stored in 40-80kg bags made from either jute or woven plastic.

Depending on the size of storage, these bags are normally formed into a stack.

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IRRI Super BagThe IRRI Super bag is a farmer-friendly storage bag that allows cereal grains

and other crops (e.g., maize or coffee) to be safely stored for extended periods. The Super bag fits as a liner inside existing storage bags (e.g., woven polypropylene or jute bags).

Super bags reduce the flow of both oxygen and water between the stored grain or seed and the outside atmosphere. 

Grain Storage

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When properly sealed, respiration of grain and insects inside the bag reduce oxygen levels from 21% to 5%.

The super bag is presently designed to store up to around 50 kg of grain or seed.

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Advantages Over Traditional Storage:-

Extend the germination life of seed for planting from 6 to 12 months,

  Control insect grain pests (without using chemicals.

  Improve the head rice recovery of stored grain typically by 10%.

This stability achieved reduces the extent of grain cracking .

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Some Guidelines for Bag Storage:-Bags should be stacked under cover e.g. under a roof, in a

shed or granary or under water proof tarpaulins.

Bags should be stacked so that fumigation can be undertaken easily.

A one meter gap should be left between and around stacks and 1.5 meters clearance between the top of the stack and the roof.

The efficiency of bag storage can be improved if a plastic liner bag is used.

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Properly stored bags

The hermetic IR

RI super bag

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Storage for Horticultural Crops

Horticultural crops are highly perishable in nature. Hence proper storage is essential for proper utilization of these commodities.

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Bag storage of horticultural crops are done using the following methods.

(i) Modified Atmospheric Packaging

(ii) Vaccum Packaging

(iii) Intelligent Packaging

(iv) Breath way membrane

(v) Shrink Wrapping

(vi) Controlled Atmospheric Storage

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High Carbon dioxide (CO2)

Low oxygen (O2)

GeneratorsScrubbing devices

It is defined as the packaging of a perishable product in an atmosphere which has been modified so that its composition is other than that of air

1.Modifi ed Atmosphere Packaging

2.Vacuum Packaging

Vacuum Packaging refers to packaging in containers (flexible or rigid), from which substantially full air has been removed before the final sealing of the package

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3.Intelligent packaging

Systems which are capable of monitoring the condition of packaged foods to give information about the quality of the packaged food during transport and storage

IP give information about the history and quality of packed food product

TTI's , RFID's, Gas concentration indicators, Ripeness indicators and Microbial quality indicators

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4.Breatheway Membrane Bags

Advantages • Levels of O2 and CO2 can be regulated independently

• To design packages that can have very low O2 levels while maintaining the  best CO2 levels, without the risk of creating anaerobic conditions

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5. Shrink Wrapping

shrink-wrap packaging is a new technique for post harvest handling of fruits and vegetables. shrink-wrap packaging extends the shelf-life by preventing the moisture loss, maintaining firmness and reducing respiration rate.

The extent of benefit from shrink-wrap packaging depends upon the type of produce, its physiological maturity and initial quality.

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Modern Bulk Storage

Bulk storage method is used to store large quantities of agricultural commodities. Type of Storage depends on type of commodity to a large extent.

Based on type of commodity, bulk storage can be of two types.

(i) Bulk Storage for Grains

(ii) Bulk Storage for Horticultural crops

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Grain Storage

An alternate model of metal bin, low cost with similar technical performance.

Up to 1.5 quintal capacity

1.  Bitumen/ coal tar drum

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Circular bins of 2, 5, 7.2 and 10 q capacities and have potential to meet requirements of even large farmers.

2. Hapur bin/ Kothis

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Developed by IARI.

Silos made using sun dried bricks.

Rectangular in shape with capacity of 1-3 tonnes.

3. Pusa bin

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For larger storage

Expensive

Up to 25000 tones capacity

4.Concrete/ cement

silos

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1.Cold StorageCold Storage is a special kind of room, the temperature of,

which is kept very low with the help of machines and precision instruments.

The development of cold storage techniques have a key role to play in minimizing the wastage of perishable commodities particularly horticultural crops.

The two main refrigerants used are Ammonia or Freon the later not widely used because of its high toxicity.

Storage for Horticultural Crops

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2.Controlled atmosphere storage

In CA, the atmospheric components are precisely adjusted to specific concentrations.

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