RA 00048.pdf - OAR@ICRISAT

Grain Postharvest Technology
for Developing Countries
Do Sup Chung and C. W. Deyoe*
In the past two decades, considerable emphasis
has been placed on increasing production of
cereal food grains to meet the needs of the
world's growing population. Success has been
achieved in several parts of the world, as evidenced
by the "Green Revolution". However, in
other regions the rate of grain production increase
has not kept up with the rate of population
increase.
In 1977 the total worldwide production of grains
was estimated to be 1.46 billion metric tons. If a
world population of 4.4 billions and per capita
need of food grain of 200 kg are assumed, more
than enough grains are produced to feed the
world population. However, there is a problem of
highly unequal distribution of grain supplies. Furthermore,
considerable amounts of grain produced
are used for feeding animals and other
industrial purposes, and do not reach the consumers.
Postharvest grain losses (physical or weight)
are estimated at anywhere from 5 to 4 0 % for
many of the developing countries. At best, these
figures are rough estimates, and in only a few
cases are documented studies available to show
actual measured losses. In addition to the quantity
of grain lost, it is believed that considerable grain
quality loss is experienced in developing countries.
This is of vital importance to subsistencelevel
families because their daily nutritional requirements
are extracted mainly from cerea
grains.
Grain lost after it has been harvested not only
loses the monetary value of grain and the availability
of food supply, but also the inputs and efforts
that have gone into growing the grain. Some loss
is undoubtedly inevitable but there is much that
* Food and Grain Institute, Kansas State University,
Manhattan, Kansas, USA.
can be done to preserve the valuable food grains
that are produced. Unfortunately, in many cases
where production has increased through proper
uses of improved seeds, fertilizers, water, and
chemical pest control measures, we have not had
the foresight to plan ahead and provide proper and
adequate grain storage facilities, grain marketing
systems, and other infrastructures to preserve the
quantity and quality of food grains so that producers
and consumers alike are benefited.
Let us briefly examine the magnitude of grain
loss experienced annually in the world. Based on
the FAO estimate of a 10% annual harvest loss,
and the total grain production in 1977. approximately
146 million metric tons of grain are lost.
This loss would have fed about 730 million people
or would translate into the loss of about 30 billion
dollars (based on the average price of $ 200/ton).
The postharvest grain loss should be a more vital
concern in developing countries where the
domestic demand for food grains outstrips
domestic production because the increased food
grain imports put a tremendous strain on the
foreign exchange reserve.
In developing countries, most of the farmers
are at the subsistence level and their land holdings
are very small. Quantities of grains held on the
farms generally range from 70 to 90% of their
total production, and only 1 0 - 3 0 % of the grains
produced leave the farms for domestic grain
marketing channels. Current grain handling, storage
and drying methods and facilities employed
on farms in developing countries are quite inadequate
for the proper preservation of grain.
Despite these facts, little attention is given to
the improvement of on-farm postharvest grain
systems in developing countries. It is indeed
ironic that sums of money are spent on increasing
production only to lose a substantial amount of
the grains produced.
Therefore, it should be recognized that im-
International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics. 1982. Sorghum in the Eighties: Proceedings
Symposium on Sorghum, 2-7 Nov 81, Patancheru. A.P., India. Patancheru, A.P. India: ICRISAT.
of the International
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