The present market demand in the agricultural sector for food crops is so large that the only feasible way of meeting it is to farm on a commercial basis. This requires enormous farms and proportionally large harvests. In the event of a bumper crop of which some remains unsold, or if grain needs to be stored for a period of time, farmers run the risk of losing some of it to natural causes of decay. This makes grain bin monitoring critical in preventing such losses.
There are a number of types of crop which are stored in this way, either in bins or silos. They are wheat (corn), barley, oats, soy, rice and beans and pulses like lentils. In order to ensure the sustained quality of the stored produce, farmers need to regulate two environmental conditions in the storage system: temperature and moisture. But before they can do that, they need to be able to measure both of them.
Farmers try to store their crops for long periods of time by drying it out. They do this by passing heated air through them. They then lose some of their moisture and can be stored for more than a year. The aim is to achieve the equilibrium moisture content or EMC, so that there is no movement of moisture between the crops and the air around them.
Measuring these two factors is done by inserting specialized cables into the stored grain. These cables measure temperature and moisture inside the storage structure. The results can then be displayed on the screen of a handheld device or in computer systems in a nearby office. Operators can adjust the temperature to cause the desired effect, according to the measurements that have been generated by the equipment.
The monitoring system may also make use of specially programmed software. The software can integrate the data gathered from several bins and present it on screen or even on the internet. It can also be set to automatically display notifications of adverse measurements.
Farming is not a cheap industry, and the costs of bin drying and storage are significant. However, there are advantages to this process. Surplus harvest can be stored until the next season, either for planting or sale. Market forces may cause the commodity price of the grain to fall, so the producer can then hedge against a rise in the next price cycle. Sometimes, the entire crop might be in storage, so any threat to the grain needs to be eliminated.
Causes of damage to stored produce are through the activity of insects, or fungi (mold). Kernels that have had their moisture content brought down to about 10% aren't susceptible to insect or mold damage any more. However, they may be less likely to germinate if they are sown. Farmers need to assess how they intend to use the grain against the risk of losing some of the harvest.
The management of vast commercial crops is part of the food security of modern economies. Without such technology, farmers would be more vulnerable to changing weather and insect plagues. Monitoring stored grain is therefore important in ensuring that food is available and at an affordable price.
There are a number of types of crop which are stored in this way, either in bins or silos. They are wheat (corn), barley, oats, soy, rice and beans and pulses like lentils. In order to ensure the sustained quality of the stored produce, farmers need to regulate two environmental conditions in the storage system: temperature and moisture. But before they can do that, they need to be able to measure both of them.
Farmers try to store their crops for long periods of time by drying it out. They do this by passing heated air through them. They then lose some of their moisture and can be stored for more than a year. The aim is to achieve the equilibrium moisture content or EMC, so that there is no movement of moisture between the crops and the air around them.
Measuring these two factors is done by inserting specialized cables into the stored grain. These cables measure temperature and moisture inside the storage structure. The results can then be displayed on the screen of a handheld device or in computer systems in a nearby office. Operators can adjust the temperature to cause the desired effect, according to the measurements that have been generated by the equipment.
The monitoring system may also make use of specially programmed software. The software can integrate the data gathered from several bins and present it on screen or even on the internet. It can also be set to automatically display notifications of adverse measurements.
Farming is not a cheap industry, and the costs of bin drying and storage are significant. However, there are advantages to this process. Surplus harvest can be stored until the next season, either for planting or sale. Market forces may cause the commodity price of the grain to fall, so the producer can then hedge against a rise in the next price cycle. Sometimes, the entire crop might be in storage, so any threat to the grain needs to be eliminated.
Causes of damage to stored produce are through the activity of insects, or fungi (mold). Kernels that have had their moisture content brought down to about 10% aren't susceptible to insect or mold damage any more. However, they may be less likely to germinate if they are sown. Farmers need to assess how they intend to use the grain against the risk of losing some of the harvest.
The management of vast commercial crops is part of the food security of modern economies. Without such technology, farmers would be more vulnerable to changing weather and insect plagues. Monitoring stored grain is therefore important in ensuring that food is available and at an affordable price.
0 comments:
Enregistrer un commentaire