The quality of agricultural product storage largely depends on how well the requirements for warehouse facilities are met. Micro, small, and medium agribusiness is interested in complying with all norms and rules for product placement, as losses due to improper conditions can reach 30-50%, and each saved ton represents additional profit.
Classes of Warehouse Facilities
A warehouse facility is an equipped building or part thereof where proper placement of various goods is provided. In agriculture, different facilities are used depending on the type of product and storage conditions.
According to international classification, the following types of warehouse facilities are distinguished:
- Class A — modern single-story buildings with ceiling heights from 12 m, located near highways or railways. Equipped with video surveillance systems, alarms, and fire safety equipment. Best suited for storing valuable agricultural products that require special conditions.
- Class B — quality facilities with lower ceilings, not necessarily modern. Often located outside the city. Suitable for most types of grain crops and raw materials that do not require special temperature conditions.
- Class C — low-level buildings that may have previously been used for other purposes. Lack quality ventilation. May be used for short-term storage of roughage and some types of fertilizers.
- Class D — the cheapest warehouses: hangars, basements, or sheds. Suitable only for temporary storage of products insensitive to external factors.
There are also subcategories A+ and B+, which differ in larger area, higher ceilings, and better location relative to transport routes. For storing agricultural products, it is recommended to use Class A or B warehouses, especially for long-term storage.
Requirements for Warehouse Facilities
General requirements for warehouse facilities when storing agricultural products cover the technical characteristics of the building, sanitary standards, microclimate indicators, and placement features. Non-compliance with these rules leads to significant losses in product quality and financial damage.
Basic requirements concern:
- Temperature conditions.
- Air humidity.
- Ventilation.
- Lighting.
- Pest protection.
- Fire safety.
Storage of different types of agricultural products has its own characteristics that must be considered when selecting and equipping a warehouse.
Documents that the Warehouse Facility Owner Must Have
For a warehouse to operate legally, the owner must have a set of documents confirming the facility’s compliance with all norms and requirements:
- certificate of ownership of real estate;
- technical passport of the building;
- permit from the sanitary-epidemiological service;
- permit from the state emergency service;
- fire inspection conclusion;
- documents on compliance of electrical wiring and other utilities;
- contracts for waste removal and disinfection.
In the case of grain warehouses, additional permits or certificates are required that authorize storage. The absence of necessary documents can lead to fines and work stoppage — the availability or validity of legal documents should be regularly checked.
Requirements for Grain Storage Warehouses
Grain is one of the most important agricultural products, proper storage of which ensures quality preservation and prevents losses. Specialized types of warehouse facilities must meet special requirements:
- buildings must be dry, clean, without foreign odors;
- mandatory presence of ventilation system that prevents grain self-heating;
- temperature must be within 5-25°C (optimal — 10-15°C);
- relative air humidity — no more than 70%;
- protection from rodents, insects, and birds;
- floor with hard coating that prevents moisture penetration;
- temperature control equipment in the grain mass;
- ability to conduct facility disinsection.
When accepting grain for storage, quality analysis is mandatory. The procedure is carried out based on a warehouse storage contract, which is accompanied by the issuance of a document: double certificate, simple certificate, or receipt.
Temperature conditions are of particular importance, as under certain conditions the crop may begin to self-heat, leading to quality loss. A reliable method of controlling storage pests is cooling or freezing grain to -5…-10°C during the cold season.
Requirements for Warehouses for Products Requiring Cooling and Freezing
Dairy products, meat, some types of fruits and vegetables require special conditions with low temperature maintenance. Such goods use refrigerated and freezer facilities. Basic requirements for warehouse facilities for storing food products:
- temperature in refrigerated chambers 0…+5°C, in freezers — -18…-25°C;
- presence of reliable thermal insulation of walls, floor, ceiling;
- temperature control and regulation systems with automatic recording of indicators;
- backup generators that maintain refrigeration equipment operation in case of power outage;
- air humidity within 85-90%;
- special shelving made of stainless steel or other materials resistant to condensation;
- air exchange and filtration system that ensures avoidance of odor transfer.
Refrigerated warehouses must have docks that prevent temperature fluctuations during loading/unloading. It is important to clearly divide the building into zones and organize inventory systems that allow minimizing chamber opening time.
In the case of deep-frozen products, it is necessary to ensure constant temperature without fluctuations, as even short-term increases significantly reduce raw material quality.
Requirements for Warehouses for Storing Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are perishable products. To preserve freshness, taste, and nutritional properties, the following conditions are necessary:
- optimal temperature depends on the type (from 0°C — root vegetables, to +10-15°C — tropical fruits);
- relative humidity — 85-95%;
- mandatory presence of ventilation and air gas composition control system;
- protection from direct sunlight;
- special containers or shelving that ensure air circulation;
- sorting products by type and degree of ripeness;
- ability to regulate ethylene content (for ripening fruits).
During transportation, it is necessary to protect goods from mechanical damage, precipitation, and temperature fluctuations. Transportation is carried out by refrigerated trucks, isothermal vehicles, and specialized vans.
Modern vegetable storage facilities are often equipped with controlled atmosphere systems (CA) that allow reducing oxygen content and increasing CO2 content, significantly extending product storage life. Such technologies are especially important for long-term storage of apples, pears, and some types of berries.
Requirements for Warehouses for Storing Beekeeping Products
Honey, pollen, propolis, royal jelly, and other beekeeping products must preserve their medicinal and nutritional properties. Optimal conditions:
- For honey: temperature +5…+20°C (optimal +8…+10°C).
- Relative air humidity no higher than 60%.
- Absence of direct sunlight.
- Protection from foreign odors (honey easily absorbs them).
- Containers — glass, ceramic, or food-grade stainless steel.
- Separate room, distant from warehouses with chemicals and aromatic substances.
- Protection from insects, especially from other bees and wasps.
When transporting bees, it is important to comply with veterinary-sanitary rules and have appropriate documents. Transportation is possible only in summer or transitional periods of the year, with proper ventilation of hives.
Royal jelly and pollen require even stricter conditions — storage at temperatures from +2 to +6°C in hermetically sealed containers protected from light. These products quickly lose their properties if storage requirements are not met.
Requirements for Warehouses for Storing Animal Feed
Quality feed storage is the key to the health of farm animals and poultry. Different types have their own warehouse facility characteristics — these are:
- dryness;
- protection from rodents and pest insects;
- ventilation that prevents moisture and gas accumulation;
- regular quality control of feed during storage.
Additionally:
- compound feeds — temperature no higher than +25°C, humidity no more than 70%;
- hay — protection from precipitation and ensuring ventilation to prevent spontaneous combustion;
- silage — pits or towers with hermetic closure;
Special attention should be paid to protection from mold and pathogenic microorganism development, which can produce mycotoxins — extremely dangerous substances. Therefore, it is important to ensure proper air circulation and regularly check feed condition.
Requirements for Warehouses for Storing Organic Fertilizers
Organic fertilizers are an important component of sustainable agriculture that requires proper storage to guarantee nutrient preservation and prevent environmental pollution. Main elements include:
- waterproof base that prevents liquid fraction penetration into soil;
- canopy or other shelter that protects from precipitation;
- system for collecting and removing liquid runoff;
- distance from water bodies of at least 100 meters;
- protection from direct sunlight that prevents overheating;
- ability to regulate air access for proper composting;
- separate placement of different types of organic fertilizers (compost, humus, peat).
Composting is the most effective method of preparing organic fertilizers. It is necessary to ensure oxygen access, maintain 50-60% humidity and optimal temperature of 45-65°C, which guarantees active fermentation.
Modern environmental standards require the use of organic fertilizers instead of mineral ones, as they not only improve soil structure but also do not pollute the environment with harmful chemicals. Proper storage allows preserving their value and ensuring maximum effect.
Pest Control in Warehouses
Main methods of pest control in warehouse facilities are:
- Preventive measures. These include regular cleaning of warehouse facilities, maintaining optimal temperature and humidity, timely pest detection, and sealing cracks and openings to prevent rodent penetration.
- Physical methods. These include heating grain to 50-60°C (mobile stages of mites die in 15 minutes, weevils — in 20-35 minutes), cooling or freezing to -5…-10°C, mechanical treatment (passing through sieves), and using traps for insects and rodents.
Regardless of the type of warehouse facilities, effective pest detection is guaranteed by the following methods:
- visual inspection;
- seed probes or probe traps;
- Berlese funnel;
- ultrasonic detectors for detecting insects during feeding.
Warehouses should be checked at least twice a year: in spring (April — mid-May), in summer (July — August) before accepting the new harvest.
Procedure for sampling to detect pests:
- In bags — with a probe from approximately 10%.
- In bulk — at least in ten places from different depths.
- The average sample should weigh at least 1 kg.
A systematic approach to pest protection, covering preventive, physical-mechanical, and chemical methods, ensures preservation of agricultural product quality throughout the entire storage period.
Provision of Warehouse Facilities for Storage in Ukraine
Ukraine has a developed network of warehouse facilities for storing agricultural products, especially grain. The total capacity of elevators and grain storage facilities in Ukraine exceeds 50 million tons, however, their technical condition and geographical distribution do not always meet the needs of modern agribusiness.
The average cost of grain storage in Ukraine ranges from 25 to 50 UAH per ton per month, depending on the region and warehouse class. For farms with small production volumes, it is often more economically viable to use specialized facility services than to invest in building their own storage facilities.
Conclusion
Compliance with requirements for warehouse facilities for storing agricultural products is the key to preserving their quality and minimizing losses. Innovative technologies, process digitization, and implementation of advanced pest control methods allow significantly improving storage efficiency and reducing losses.
For farmers seeking to modernize their facilities or use modern warehouse services but lacking sufficient funds, we offer a convenient solution — an online agricultural installment service. Through WEAGRO, you can obtain necessary equipment for storing agricultural products without significant one-time financial burden, distributing costs over a comfortable period.
