Why should we store our crops?
To avoid global crop losses that exceed 33 million tons yearly.
At a time when millions of people live in the shadow of starvation enormous quantities of food are lost each year to rats, insects, and fungi. These losses occur between the time the crops are harvested and the time they are eaten because of lack of effective storage and distribution. Annual seed losses due to rats, insects and fungi are estimated to exceed 33 million tons (enough to meet America's requirements for one year). Post-harvest losses are equal to the total agricultural production on more than 12 million acres of farmland. In India, for example, the post-harvest losses of grain are running 15 percent a year; the annual losses of potatoes and onions alone average around 25 percent of its total crop.
Given that the gap between food supply and demand in the developing countries is growing rapidly, and that their grain deficit is expected to reach 85 million tons by 1985 (triple what it is today), there is a real need to reduce those losses. It has been estimated that the world's total food supply could be increased by 25 to 30 percent if the post-harvest losses could be avoided.
Given that the gap between food supply and demand in the developing countries is growing rapidly, and that their grain deficit is expected to reach 85 million tons by 1985 (triple what it is today), there is a real need to reduce those losses. It has been estimated that the world's total food supply could be increased by 25 to 30 percent if the post-harvest losses could be avoided.
If we want to take realizable steps toward preventing hunger and malnutrition in the near future, and we want the developing countries to enjoy greater benefits from their harvests much more emphasis should be placed on the effective storage of food crops.
Otherwise, the world will simply continue to feed enormous populations of rats, insects and fungi.
The exceptional importance of adequate crop storage is becoming clearer by the day.
Please have a look at the:
Global Crop Damage Timeline of 2011
Nearly all crop failures are cataloged here.
Please Click MAP
