Quality of corn stored in drying silos is evaluated by Emater/RS-Ascar

The silo model for drying and storing grains on rural properties, a simple and low-cost solution, is one of the actions developed by Emater/RS-Ascar throughout the State. The objective of the silo is to provide drying and storage of grains on the rural property to maintain product quality, nutritional properties, and reduce losses, guaranteeing the producer reduced costs and greater profitability. To advance in this context, the Emater/RS-Ascar teams are developing another action with rural producers who have chosen to include the drying silo on their property. A project to evaluate products dried and stored in these structures is being developed throughout the State and, in the North region, some results have already been obtained.

“We are developing an analysis of the quality of corn stored in drying silos (Emater/RS model) throughout the State, this includes our region. The evaluations are carried out through the Emater/RS-Ascar Classification Unit (UCC), based on the collection of samples, which are analyzed to verify the quality of the corn stored in these structures”, explained the regional coordinator of natural resources management. from Emater/RS-Ascar, Carlos Roberto Olczevski.

This project foresees five grain collections, in three drying silos on different properties. In the region, one silo will be evaluated in the municipality of Palmitinho and two in Caiçara. The corn stored in the drying silos is evaluated in accordance with Ordinance No. 66/2011, of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Mapa), which provides for the classification of three types of corn with quality for consumption (Types 1, 2 and 3) and the declassified type. “These analyzes aim to verify whether the drying and management of the drying silos are being carried out correctly, allowing producers who use this technology to have good quality corn, which is used for internal consumption on the rural property or is sold”, he added. Olczevski.

During the grain evaluation process, the following aspects are analyzed: foreign matter and impurities; moisture; broken, moldy, burnt, fermented, germinated, woody, shriveled or immature, plastered grains; healthy broken grains (equal to or greater than 5mm) and the total number of damaged grains.