Introduction:

Raw and processed commodities must be protected from rodents, birds, insects,
mites, and microorganisms throughout the marketing system. The mobility and the ability of
many stored-product insects to find and reproduce on many different foods throughout the
marketing system make them particularly difficult to manage. While fulfilling the food
demand of an increasing population remains a major global concern, more than one-third of
food is lost or wasted in postharvest operations. Reducing the postharvest losses, especially in
developing countries, could be a sustainable solution to increase food availability, reduce
pressure on natural resources, eliminate hunger and improve farmers’ livelihoods. Cereal
grains are the basis of staple food in most of the developing nations, and account for the
maximum postharvest losses on a calorific basis among all agricultural commodities. As
much as 50%–60% cereal grains can be lost during the storage stage due only to the lack of
technical inefficiency. Use of scientific storage methods can reduce these losses to as low as
1%–2%.The owner of a silo can save more or earn more. Immediately after the harvest, when
supply is greatest in local markets as well as in the cities, the price for maize is at its lowest.
However, anyone who can safely store the maize for a few months prior to selling can count
on a higher price, or conversely on making a saving by not having to buy when the market
price is high. At the time of the harvest, between November and February, about 80 per cent
of farmers sell their maize rather than storing it in a silo. In the critical period before the next
harvest, between March and July, the situation is almost reversed, with 73 per cent selling
only maize stored in the silo.

Grain storage principles:

a) Conditions of the Grains

Only clean, unbroken kernels should be selected for storage. The grain should be dry and it
should be cool when it is put into storage.

b) Climatic Conditions

Grain stores best in weather which is dry and cool. Unfortunately, the weather is not always
dry and cool. During the serious rainy season even well dried grain can become wet again if it
is exposed to very wet air or rain. Since grain must be stored during all kinds of weather the
type of storage method chosen must protect the grain from the worst possible weather
conditions.

c) Store Conditions

A grain store must perform one task: the store must protect the grain from its natural enemies:
mould and fungus, insects, rats, birds, and other animals.

To do this a grain store should have the following properties:

- The store must be dry.

- The store should be cool.
- The store should keep out the sun.
- The store should be clean.
- The store should have no holes or cracks in the roof, walls, or floor.
- The store might need to be treated with insecticide.
Purpose of world-wide grain storage:

 Feeding ever growing human population

 Fluctuation in price and market demand or shortage and famines
 Agricultural products need to stored for season to season and year to year demand
 Off season requirements i.e., potatoes, onion, fruits etc.
 When a bumper production of particular commodity then storage is required
 Pilling/ provision for large scale processing
 Prevention of original varieties from extinction (Germ Bank)
 Preservation of nutritional quality
 Low labour requirements due to high level of mechanization
 Rapid handling, saving time
 Low wastage through spillage and rodents
 Effective and efficient fumigation operation
 Less land area requirement, covers one-third space horizontally of warehouses
 Complete control of aeration
 Possible to store the grain for very long time periods
 Possible to mechanize all operations
 Possible to store moist grain for short periods
 Complete protection against natural elements

The balance between food needs and the food supply has always been tenuous and has
become even more important today, due largely to rapid population growth. We know that
the world population will demand more and more grain in the years to come. Increased grain
supplies can be provided in two ways: 1) by increases in production through the use of
improved needs, fertilizers, machines and greater land cultivation, as well as the reduction of
insect and disease problems before the harvest; and 2) through the reduction of postharvest
waste and loss. Past development programs aimed solely at increased production 'nave made
only limited prores toward increasing the food supply; integrated programs to reduce
postharvest losses have been much less common. For only recently has the problem of Food
supply been perceived as bearing two interrelated parts: production and postharvest storage
and distribution. Storage is thus a vital link in the food supply the world over whether grain is
stored in underground pits, in grain elevators, or on the rafters above cooking fires.

Factors affecting quality of the stored grain:

Stored grain deterioration by biotic and abiotic factors
Abiotic factors-
Moisture Content:
If grain moisture content is too high, even the best aeration equipment and monitoring
management will not keep the grain from spoiling - it only delays the inevitable. All micro-
organisms, including molds, require moisture to survive and multiply. If the moisture content
in a product going in to store is too low, micro-organisms will be unable to grow provide that
the moisture in the store is also kept low. Moisture should therefore be prevented from
entering the store.
Grain Temperature:
The temperature within a store is affected by sun, the cooling effect of radiation from the
store, outside air temperatures, heat generated by the respiration of both the grain in the store
and any insects present. With a few exceptions, micro- organisms thrive in environments with
temperature between 10 and 60 c. As stores in most parts of Ethiopia have temperatures
between 25 and 350 C, the effect of both micro -organisms and insects are obviously
important. Direct temperature control of small stores is not usually a technical or economic
possibility. So other measures, particularly reducing the moisture content of the stored
produce, are necessary.
Whether holding wet grain for a short period of time or storing dry grain for longer periods, it
is important that grain temperatures be controlled by moving air through the grain mass.
Because both wet grain and molds respire and give off heat, aeration is needed to keep the
grain cool and to slow mold growth. Properly aerated grain can generally be safely held about
four times longer than non -aerated grain. Aeration is needed, even if grain is dry and cool
when p laced in storage, to keep the grain mass at the desired temperature and to keep
temperatures equalized.
Biotic factors-
Fungi:
They belong to plant kingdom with no chlorophyll and are therefore, unable to manufacture
their own food by photosynthesis. They live on other living things or bodies as parasite, or
inactively alive or dead bodies as saprophytes. Parasitic fungi may cause disease in the host
body, while saprophytic fungus degrade or destroy the body on which they feed. Saprophytic
fungi are more important in relation to stored durable crops.
Bacteria:
Bacteria prevalence to the stored durable crops may be low. They may, however, invade
already damaged portion of the crop products during storage and their multiplications.
Fungi
They belong to plant kingdom with no chlorophyll and are therefore, unable to manufacture
their own food by photosynthesis. They live on other living things or bodies as parasite, or
inactively alive or dead bodies as saprophytes. Parasitic fungi may cause disease in the host
body, while saprophytic fungus degrade or destroy the body on which they feed.
Bacteria
Bacteria prevalence to the stored durable crops may be low. They may, however, invade
already damaged portion of the crop products during storage and their multiplications.
Rodents:
Rodents consume cereal crops and damage sacks and building structures. They contaminate
much great portion of the grain with their urine and droppings than they consume. Rodents
can daily consume about 10% of their body weight. Poisoning and preventing their access to
stored commodities can control them. Biological control also applied to stop rat damages.
Generally, rats transmit diseases (typhus, rabies, trichomaisis) and destroy and damage
building structures. Regardless of storage period, grain pest can invade the stored grain and
affect the quantity and its quality.
Birds:
Like rodents, birds also consume some grain foods but also contaminate a greater quantity
with droppings. Losses caused by birds can be avoided by preventing their access to the
stored commodities.
REQUIREMENTS OF AN IDEAL GRAIN STORAGE STRUCTURE:

The object of an ideal grain storage structure is to control and reduce the storage loses from
rodents, insects and micro-organisms, birds, moisture and heat to a minimum.

A good storage structure is the one, which can provide protection against all possible causes
of damage. A food storage structure, for storing food grains on a large scale, should have the
following essential features:

1. It should be easy to clean.

2. It should provide protection from rodents, birds and other animals.

3. It should be waterproof and moisture proof.

4. It should protect the food grains against variations of temperature and humidity.

5. It should have provision for periodical inspection.

6. It should have provision for application of pesticides through spraying or fumigation.

7. It should be located far away from possible sources of infection such as kilns, flour mills,
and bone crushing mills, garbage rumps, tanneries, slaughter houses and chemical industries.

8. It should be located at a convenient place from where it is easy to receive issue and
transport the food gains. This explains why most of the storage structures are located near
railway stations or on highways.