Cost of building a grain elevator in Ukraine

Ukraine is considered one of the most developed countries in the agro-industrial sector, imports of agricultural products account for a significant part of the state budget. In order to preserve the grain harvest it is necessary to use the most modern methods and technologies, one of which is the construction of elevators.

Nowadays, most of such facilities are the property of large agricultural holdings that use them in their work. Having their own areas of grain production, agricultural companies should be concerned about the availability of places for storing the harvest for its further sale.

As practice shows, it is often uneconomical to sell crops immediately after harvest. It is also inexpedient to store it in existing elevator systems due to high price and lack of sufficient space.

In such conditions, the only option is to build your own elevator, which becomes a guarantee of economic security of the producer of agro-industrial products. If you need to preserve your own harvest volume and at the same time guarantee the excellent quality of agricultural products for subsequent resale, the elevator becomes a necessary link in the economic policy of the enterprise.

Equipment Features

It is not enough to harvest a rich grain crop: in today’s economic environment, storage and preservation options become major issues. As a rule, grain is not sold immediately: the producer often pauses to sell it as profitably as possible.

During this time, the crop must be protected from the harmful effects of the environment (precipitation, high and low temperatures, humidity and so on). If the volume of harvest is large enough, the producer has to find options for its preservation. It is for such cases that experts recommend thinking about building your own elevator.

What are the main functions of a modern grain elevator?

Such complexes are built to fulfill the following main tasks:

  • grain intake;
  • determining the exact weight of the crop;
  • preparatory work for grain storage;
  • ensuring the safety of the crop throughout the storage period;
  • shipment of products to the consumer (buyer) by various modes of transportation.

Types of elevators

Modern elevators can be divided into several basic types:

  • Transshipment.

This type of granaries is necessary for transshipment of products from one type of transportation to another. It is used for transshipment of goods from road transport to railroad, river, sea and in the opposite direction.

  • Baseline.

Elevators that hold “operational” reserves for the largest bread mills, cities, and for export shipments of crops to be sold abroad.

  • Stocks.

Grain storage facilities, where the strategic state grain stockpile (reserve in case of war, natural disasters and so on) is stored.

  • Production.

A component of grain mining and processing companies.

  • Portlanders.

Grain storage facilities, which are designed to store and ship large quantities of grain for export by sea and river transport. They are characterized by maximum capacity and specific technological equipment.

What the cost of construction depends on

As a rule, the cost of grain elevator construction is quoted by various contractors in the amount from 40 to 400 USD per ton of grain storage. These figures can be specific for each individual case (less for field grain storage, more for port elevators).

Specialists determine the cost of the work based on several factors:

  • Geologic and engineering analyses.

Depending on the type and complexity of the soil and the need for additional foundation reinforcement, the cost of the foundation is calculated.

  • General technological scheme of the granary.

The more technologically sophisticated the elevator, the higher the cost.

  • Equipment and technology selected.

Storage, drying and loading technologies can be quite different. Accordingly, their cost also differs, as well as the price of the finished complex. As a rule, port elevators are much more expensive than field elevators, and long-cycle grain storage facilities are more expensive than standard systems.

  • Type of crops.

Depending on the type of crop, the “right” equipment must be selected. For example, rice and soybeans require special conditions for drying and storage, which must be taken into account when setting up elevators.

The cost of a ready-made elevator complex should be discussed with specialists, who will take into account all the features of your complex, as well as the type of products stored. For each specific case, the price of the elevator can differ significantly, which should be taken into account when planning the budget of your enterprise.