National Institute of Agriculture Argentina Ing. Agr. (PhD) Cristiano Casini Manfredi Exp. St. - Córdoba

* INTRODUCTION

The grain market has made a big evolution due to different circumstances ¾ Farmers took the decision to store grains in their own farm ¾ Market diversity ¾ Quality requirements ¾ Awareness of grain losses during storage ¾ Need to transform grains in food

ARGENTINA GRAINS PRODUCTION (2004/005) Crop Wheat Others

m. has. 6,26 1,88

m. tons 16,00 1,59

Corn Sorghum Others

3,35 0,62 0,19

20,50 2,90 0,97

Soybean Sunflower Others

14,40 1,97 0,32

38,30 3,80 0,56

TOTAL

28,99

84,50

Storage facilities in Argentina 39 millons of tons. Farmers facilities :(45 %) 20 millons of tons in Silo Bags 19 millons of tons in Metallic Silos, etc. 45 millons of tons in Grain Elevators, Industries, etc. in several rounds TOTAL: 84 millons of tons 3.500 driers

Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria

PLASTIC BAGS IN ARGENTINA

Year 1995 1995/6 1996/7 1997/8 1998/9 1999/0 2000/1 2001/2 2002/3 2003/4 2004/5

Tons / year first experience 10.000 20.000 6.000 0 500.000 2 millons 9,5 millons 14 millons 15 millons 20 millons

KINDS OF STORAGE FACILITIES Normal Atmosphere Metalic silos Farm bins Bins sites

Modified Atmosphere Silo bags

MODIFIED ATMOSPHERE

Plastic Silo Bags Basic Principles MAINTAINING GRAINS IN A HERMETIC ENVIROMENT:

- Increases Dioxide Carbon concentration (CO2) - Decreases Oxygen concentration (O2) - Decreases the risk of deterioration

PLASTIC SILO BAGS EFFECT ON THE INTERNAL ENVIROMENT - FUNGI CONTROL

- INSECTS CONTROL

- GRAINS RESPIRATION CONTROL

RESEARCH DONE BY INTA

C. Casini, J. C. Márquez, M. Cuniberti - 1995/6 INTA, E.E.A´s. Manfredi y M. Juárez, Grain Baggin Argentina WHEAT-PEANUTS-SUNFLOWER Rodríguez, J. C. , Bartosik, R. E., Malinarich, H. D., Exilart, J. y Nolasco, M. . 2000/5 INTA, E.E.A. Balcarce WHEAT-SUNFLOWER-CORN-SOYBEAN-BARLEY J. Azcona, M. Schang, A. Couretot – 2001/5 INTA, E.E.A. Pergamino CORN - SORGHUM C. Casini, G. Clemente, M. Pagliero y R. Acietto – 2002/5 INTA, E.E.A. Manfredi, Villa Nueva S. A., FCA-UNC CORN - SOYBEAN R. Luque, 2003/5 INTA, E.E.A. Las Breñas CORN - SOYBEAN O. Pozzolo, R. Hidalgo 2004/5 INTA, E.E.A. C. del Uruguay; UN Corrientes RICE

BAG CHARACTERISTICS

UV STABILIZERS

TiO2

- Participation of LDPE - Thickness of white layer - Thickness of the film - Participation of antioxidative compound - Able to stretch over a extended period of time

2.5 – 3 %

1%

0% Stretching relationship among different places of the bag

Traction Resistance (Kg/cm)

memory zone

Elastic Limit

Elongation (%)

Plastic bags measures . Volume of the 9” x 60 m. bag

= 354,6 m3

. Volume of the 9” x 75 m. bag

= 443,2 m3

. Capacity of the 9” x 60 m. bag

= 200 t.

. Capacity of the 9” x 75 m. bag

= 250 t.

. Capacity of the 9” x 1 m. Bag

= 3.500 Kg (Wheat)

. Bags of 9” hold 600 Kg of grains/ m2 of surface

PLASTIC BAGS REQUIREMENTS TO BE CONSIDERED 1) Place bags on high and well drained fields, far from trees and any possible source of breakups 2) The ground must be firm, plain and clean. 3) Use good quality bags 4) Avoid mechanical damage to the grains 5) Bags should be filled well enough to expel the air and never exceed the allowed stretching limit 6) There must be a permanent monitoring so that any breakages are immediately repaired 7) Bagging wet grains considerably increases risks

BAGGING MACHINE CHARACTERICS

Hopper

Rack Auger

Tunnel

Transmission bar

Adjustable shaft Brakes Tray Adjustable chain

BAGGING PROCESS

2 m.