Hyderabad: Irrigation and civil supplies minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Friday said the state govt is planning to establish modern grain silos at 20 locations across major paddy-producing districts to strengthen storage infrastructure and reduce post-harvest losses.Speaking at a review meeting with representatives of grain storage and transportation sectors at the secretariat, he said the govt is studying the feasibility of creating a silo network with an initial storage capacity of 50,000 metric tonnes. With paddy production and procurement increasing every year, Uttam said modern silos would complement, not replace, the existing procurement and storage system involving self-help groups, IKP centres and primary agricultural cooperative societies.The proposed modern silos facilities would help preserve grain quality, reduce storage losses, speed up transportation and improve supply chain efficiency through scientific storage, automation and modern logistics integrated with railway connectivity. During the discussions, representatives highlighted modern paddy storage infrastructure developed in Bangladesh as a successful example of large-scale grain management. The Bangladesh model, comprising multiple modern storage facilities with a combined capacity of about 150,000 tonnes, was cited as demonstrating how scientific drying and storage systems can preserve grain safely for extended periods.
