June 16, 2015

China to build more silos to store bumper grain harvests 

China is embarking on building and upgrading existing silos to prevent huge wastage of grains that, as of last year's estimate, run into 35 million tonnes yearly mainly because of lack of or subpar storage.

According to a five-year plan of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and Finance Ministry, China will upgrade its outdated silos and do away with open-air storages by 2020.

This year alone, the country, under the plan, will build new grain storage facilities with a total capacity of 50 million tonnes.

China has enjoyed bumper harvests through the years, spurred by the government's policy to attain self-sufficiency in grains but lack of storage threatens grain quality.

An official of the State Administration of Grain said last year that China wastes at least 35 million tonnes of grain every year, of which 27.5 million tonnes is lost through inadequate storage and transportation. The remainder is destroyed during processing.

The agriculture ministry said even China's major grain-producing provinces of Hebei, Henan, Shandong, Jilin, Liaoning and Heilongjiang don't have enough granaries.