Post-Harvest (From Farm to Mill)
Post-harvest stage includes the following:
2.1 Drying
2.2 Packaging
2.3 Logistic
2.4 Trade
2.5 Storage (either in silos, Traditional warehouses or farms)
Drying
Drying reduces grain moisture content to a safe level for storage. It is the most critical operation after harvesting a rice crop.Drying of grain involves exposing grain to ambient air with low relative humidity or to heated air. This will evaporate the moisture from the grain and then the drying air will remove the moisture from the grain bulk.Since drying practices can have a big impact on grain quality or seed quality.
Packaging
Good packaging provides not only convenient handling in transportation and storage but also attracts consumers to pay more. Packaging is essential to avoid spoilage and to prolong the quality.Packaging of paddy/rice is also important for long-term storage to fulfill the demand of old rice in the market, particularly in case of Basmati and non-parboiled rice. Paddy/rice, if kept in open, quality may be adversely affected.
Logistics
Trade
Storage
Ready paddy is now available for storage.storage may be in silos, Traditional warehouses or at farmers own place.