The adoption of silo storage for food grains is fast picking up in India. This shift, from traditional storage facilities to more organized and secure silos, aims to address significant losses which are incurred due to inadequate storage practices. As per estimates from the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organisation, approximately $14 billion worth of produce annually goes to waste largely due to poor storage. This is indeed a serious concern considering that an estimated 200 million people in India go hungry every day.
Silo Storage: An Overview
Silos provide a scientific approach to grain storage, ensuring that the stored produce remains dry and gets sufficient aeration. This helps keep fungal and insect attacks at bay. Silos can be categorized into two types – ones with rail connectivity and standalone ones. Based on land usage, they offer a more cost-effective solution compared to traditional warehouses.
The North American Midwest adopted this system in the 19th and 20th centuries, prioritizing the construction of large grain silos and accompanying railway systems for easy export. This has resulted in the U.S. achieving storage capacity almost equivalent to its annual grain output.
In contrast, India currently has just four silos based in Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai, and Hapur-Ghaziabad. Given the country’s massive food production, these facilities are far from sufficient.
Benefits of Silo Storage
Switching over to silos for bulk storage offers several advantages over bag storage including low running costs, reduced labor needs, rapid handling, efficient fumigation, reduced land area requirement, and complete control over aeration. It also enhances operational mechanization and allows for the storage of moist grain for short periods.
Current Storage Practices and Challenges
Indian farmers conventionally employ the cover and plinth (CAP) method for grain storage. Despite it being cheap and easy to implement, this method poses considerable risks during the monsoons due to an increase in humidity and warmth. These conditions often lead to outbreaks of fungal attacks, causing the grains to turn moldy. Approximately 65 million tons of food grain are stored in open or covered godowns susceptible to weather-induced damages.
The World Health Organisation has linked mycotoxins found in moldy grains and foods with human diseases. Moreover, aflatoxins formed by these mycotoxins are known carcinogens. Unfortunately, these harmful substances often linger in the grains right from their storage stage.
The Way Forward
Recognizing these issues, India needs to turn to silos as the ideal storage solution. This is particularly crucial for a country like us that relies heavily on buffer stock for ensuring food security. The transition to silo storage infrastructure will prove beneficial not only to the government and procurements agencies but also to the farmers. Initiatives should commence in agriculturally rich states like Punjab and Haryana which significantly contribute to the country’s food grain quota.
Given India’s climate conditions, particularly, its heavy monsoons which often lead to grain damage, the need for a shift towards silo structures for grain storage is undeniable. This change would serve to boost our food security measures and improve the health standards of our population.
