Commercial Storage and Handling of Sorghum Grain THE AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANICAL COLLEGE OF TEXAS TEXAS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION R. E. PATTERSON. DIRECTOR. COLLEGE STATION. TEXAS ‘QQRT OF 177E IN COOPERATION WITH THE U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Summary Three areas that provide a cross section of physical and economic conditions under which sorghum grain is produced, handled and stored were selected for study of storage and handling facilities and practices by commercial grain storage operators. The High Plains produces slightly less than half, the North Central area about one-fourth and the Coastal Bend less than one-tenth of the sorghum grain grown in Texas. Commercial storage space in the State more than doubled during 1955-60. Grain stocks in storage increased even more rapidly. Storage space in 1955 was 71 percent occupied on January l, whereas the much greater space in 1960 was 82 percent occupied. Grain sorghum increased from less than half to almost three-fourths of total grain stored. More than four-fifths of stored sorghum grain in 1960 was under loan or forfeited to CCC and more than one-fourth was more than 2 years old. About one-fifth of the grain storages in Texas are over l-million-bushel capacity and slightly less than one-fourth are from one-half to 1 million bushels. The 259 million bushels of additional storage space built during 1955-60 in the areas studied were about evenly divided between additions to facilities already existing in 1955 and new storages. There was a marked shift from upright to flat storage and from the use of concrete to steel in storage structures. The shift was caused mainly by lower initial invest- ment costs, ease of construction, potential for greater portability, anticipation of more flexibility in use and rapid adoption of aeration systems particularly adaptable to flat storage operations. Most of the sorghum grain handled by storages on the High Plains was moved to terminals and other storages, although exports and sales to feeders and truckers were important outlets. Exports, shipments to terminals and other storages, and sales to feed mills were important outlets in North Central Texas; exports were the major outlet in the Coastal Bend. About four-fifths of the sorghum grain receipts at storages were by truck, but three-fourths of the shipments out were by rail. There was a noticeable increase during 1955-59 in the proportion of both receipts and shipments moved by truck. About three- fourths of the storages had receiving capacities of 1,500 to 12,000 bushels per hour and slightly less than a third were 2,000 w 6,000 bushels. Mos the operators had similar capacities for loading as for receiving. Labor requirements for han receipts increased as the conveyor capacity incre but not proportionately. Consequently, those receiving capacities in excess of 8,000 bushels hour required less than one-third as much labor 1,000 bushels of receipts as those with less than A bushels per hour. The High Plains had h' capacities for receiving and loading out by - parable size storages than the other two areas. All storages run moisture tests when rec' grain and more than 90 percent inspect for r tion. A larger proportion in North Central T than in the other two areas also tests for f0 matter, tests weight, insects and the general con 6 of the grain. Only about one-third of the op segregated grain sorghum and most of them ' on the basis of moisture, although some indi insect infestation and foreign matter were used, basis. Many operators set maximum moisture con above l3 percent at which they will accept t‘ without a drying charge, and operators on the I Plains tend to have higher maximums accep without drying charge than in the other two Drying equipment is practically universal J storages in the Coastal Bend. About three-f of the storages on the High Plains have dryers 6 pared with less than one-fourth in North "- Texas. The continuous flow drier is twi numerous as the batch type. All storages in the Coastal Bend and nine- of those in the other areas were equipped t0 v part or all their stored grain. More than four A of the storage space in the Coastal Bend was eq for aeration compared with slightly less than thirds in the other two areas. About one-f of the storages had automatic temperature sf’ systems while others relied on deep bin pro other methods of determining grain temperat A Most storage operators fumigate their __ sorghum grain and a majority do it w. although slightly less than one-fourth hire mercial firms. A majority of the operators Coastal Bend and North Central Texas use aeration system for fumigation while almost ~ those on the High Plains use gravity. PRODUCTION EXPLOSION or SORGHUM GRAIN in the past two decades, accompanied in the l950’s by g; increases in carryover stocks, has taxed facilities moving, handling, storing and marketing the crop. = Texas crop is a large proportion of the nation’s 1 production. With Gulf port shipping points export at Houston, Galveston and Corpus Christi, State is a focal point of handling and storage lems facing the sorghum grain industry. I The average annual sorghum grain production the United States increased from 56 million els in the late 1930's to 442 million in the late ’s. The 1960 crop was estimated at almost ,million bushels. Texas annual production aver- w 30 million bushels in the late 1930’s, 212 million the late l950’s and about 258 million bushels in Carryover stocks in the nation increased from than 8 million bushels in 1958 to about 582 (ion in 1960. This almost equaled the 585 million .. els produced in 1959. ' Off-farm grain storage facilities in Texas regis- i- phenomenal increases, especially during the ’s. This was largely in response to increased pro- ion and carryover stocks of sorghum grain, ough increased production and carryover of other 'ns also required additional space. Commercial 'n storage space increased from 105 million bushels 1945 to 680 million bushels in 1960. It was esti- ed at 768 million bushels in January 1961. " The expansion in storage facilities was accom- hed in part by operators undertaking new ventures I were initially limited in knowledge and experi- - of grain storage operations. In addition there rred changes in utilization patterns, in the market ‘cture, in functions performed by storage installa- and in the use of better equipment and tech- ues in handling, storing and preserving sorghum 'n in storage. Thus, even the experienced storage rators faced new situations. . Aeration was} developed and flat storage installa- s became more feasible and a more prominent A of commercial storage facilities as a consequence. re has been constant pressure to harvest grain at igher moisture content to reduce field losses. pectively, associate professor and former assistant professor, partment of Agricultural Economics and Sociology. Commercial Storage and Handling of Sorghum Grain Clarence A. Moore and Charles W. Brown* Drying facilities at storage installations have become more common in the High Plains in the past 6 years. Some storage operators feel the advent of hybrid sorghums, and increased irrigation of sorghums, in- tensified the problem of preserving the grain in storage. SCOPE AND PROCEDURE This is one of two studies on storage and market- ing of Texas sorghum grains. The first was a study of marketing patterns and on-fann storage by sorghum producers. This portion covers the marketing, stor- age and handling practices of local commercial storage operators. The third study will analyze alternative storage, drying, aeration and fumigation practices and evaluate their relative efficiencies and costs. The present study was designed to determine (l) the movement pattern of sorghum grain into and out of storage, (2) the relative importance of total sorghum grain and CCC and carryover stocks of sorghum in the use of storage space, (3) the facilities CONTENTS Summary . 2 Introduction ...................................................................... .. 3 Scope and Procedure ...................................................... .. 3 High Plains Area _. 4 North Central Texas ................................................ _. 4 Coastal Bend ..... .. 5 Procedure... 5 Storage Space and Its Utilization ................................ .. 5 Storage Capacity and Stocks .................................... .. 5 Additions and New Elevators .................................. .. 6 Merchandising and Turning Space ........................ .. 7 Use of Storage Space... 8 Movement of Sorghum Grain from Storages ...... .. 9 Handling Facilities and Practices ................................ .. 9 Amounts of Sorghum Grain Handled .................. .. l0 Receipts and Shipments by Type of Transportation l0 Receiving and Loading Out Facilities .................. .. l(] Labor Requirements to Receive and Load Out . ll Quality Maintenance in Storage .................................. .. 12 Tests Prior to Storage .............................................. .. 12 Acceptable Moisture Content by Storage Operators ____ __ 12 Drying and Aeration . . . . . . _ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ 13 Insect Control in Stored Sorghum Grain .............. ._ l3 Acknowledgments __ l4 Area I High Plains Area II North Central Texas GRAIN SORGHUM ACREAGE n» , ‘z I I954 g - Area m sure 1on1. - s,s|1,4o1 W, I, .. Y”, Cmstal Bend a oor - sooo ACRES and vaney Figure 1. Sorghum grain producing areas studied. for handling, drying and storing grain and (4) the practices used in receiving, loading out and main- taining the quality of stored grain. The purpose was to determine and describe changes in conditions and practices in recent years, rather than prescribe what they should be under assumed efficiency con- ditions. Three areas of the State were delineated for study, Figure 1, to provide a representative cross- section of the widely varying physical and economic conditions under which production, marketing and storage of sorghum grains are conducted. A brief description of each area is provided so the results may be compared with other areas and states. High”. Plains Area Area I, the High Plains, is the heaviest sorghum grain producing area in the State. Most of the area has an elevation from 3,000 to 4,000 feet. Its level topography is well suited to large acreage and mecha- nized farming o-perations. It is characterized by low precipitation, low relative humidity and relatively hot summer and cold winter temperatures. Winter temperatures below freezing are common. Since harvest occurs from September through’ November, the temperature of new grain moving into storage is not high. Sorghum grain production is well established. It expanded from 54 to 166 million bushels during 1949-59. There is considerable irrigation where underground water supplies are available. Sorghum. grain is grown under both dryland and irrigated conditions. Sorghum grain competes with wheat for storage space in the northern part of the area. In 1949 sorghum grain contributed 35 percent and wheat 63 percent to to-tal grain production. In 1959 the pro- 4 portions were 70 percent for sorghum grain t 27 percent for wheat. Small amounts of oats J barley are grown. ~ Sorghum is the main grain crop in the south part of the area. It contributed 88 percent in 5 and 96 percent in 1959 to total grain produc f Most of the increase in acreage of sor” hum grail the High Plains during the 1950’s ‘was on acr diverted from wheat in the northern part and‘ acreage diverted from cotton. in the southern w Commercial storage space in the High Pl increased from 51 million bushels in 1949 to million bushels in 1959. The storage space was than half as large as total grain production in a but was 27 percent greater than grain productio‘ 1959. Storage space further increased to about” million bushels by 1961, 40 percent greater thay 1959. a An increasing proportion of total comm storage space has been in larger units. None off storage approved by CCC under the Uniform G Storage Agreement in 1949 was larger than 2.55;“ lion-bushel capacity; whereas, 28.5 percent of the in 1959 and 39 percent of the space in 1961 wf units over 2.5-million-bushel capacity. 941* The high ratio of storage space to grain pr, tion in 1959, further increase of 40 percent in st‘ space by 1961, and the increasing proportion of 1 storage space in large units suggests that ope _ of grain elevators in the area depend to a conside ; extent on carryover stocks and grain shipped in _ other states (anticipating later export from Gulf I shipping points) to fill their facilities. '* North Central Texas Most of area II, North Central Texas, is bet, 500 and 1,000 feet elevation. Annual precipi i averages between 35 and 45 inches. However, a ' of its interior position, the relative humidity is ‘ moderate than it is in the Coastal Bend. Min’? January temperatures at weather stations in the fall below zero and below freezing temperature common. Most of the sorghum grain is harves August and September. Sorghum grains compete with corn, oats} wheat for storage facilities. Total grain prod increased from about 37 million bushels in ‘L, 60 million bushels in 1959. Sorghum grain in from one-tenth of the total in 1949 to four-ten 1959, and wheat remained about the same at tenth of total production. Corn production from about half of the total grain produced in to slightly less than three-tenths in 1959, and oats; three-tenths to two-tenths of the total. Expans sorghum grain acreage during the 1950's o t‘ primarily on land diverted from cotton and Commercial storage space increased at million’ bushels in 1949 to 144 million bus . It increased another 20 percent to 172 million ls by 1961. The expansion in storage installa- _ occurred in all size groups. Those less than All bushels capacity contributed about 16 per- to total capacity in recent years compared with ‘rcent in I949. Carryover stocks and movements of grain from areas have influenced storage expansion. How- » the high ratio of storage space to grain produc- in the area is influenced by the large grain jge installations in Fort Worth that have func- "I permanently as secondary marketing facilities een local storage installations, from whom they 've grain, and mill and export buyers. Storage llations in excess of 2.5-million-bushel capacity 'buted about 56 percent to total storage space orth Central Texas in both 1949 and 1959. tal Bend The elevation of most of area III, the Coastal i is less than 250 feet. Annual rainfall averages 20 to 26 inches but its nearness to the Gulf causes ive humidity to be a serious problem. Summer ratures are high, and winter temperatures rela- 5 mild. Minimum temperatures recorded at the ‘- ent weather stations in the area are above zero below freezing temperatures in winter are rare. est occurs in June and July. New crop sorghum moving into storage has at least 2 months of outside temperatures. Total grain production, which consists almost ether of sorghum grain, increased from less than 'llion bushels in 1949 to 3O million in 1959. hum grain had its advent as a major crop in area after widespread use of the combine, and ties suitable for combine harvesting, were estab- '0 in the late 1930s and early 1940’s. Acreage I sion was mostly on acres diverted from cotton. ‘Most storage facilities are comparatively new. i ercial storage approved by CCC was less than lion-bushel capacity in 1949. It increased to billion-bushel capacity in 1959, 1O percent greater i grain production in the area that year. Only t 3 million bushels of space were added from -61. Much of the increase in storage space was ‘units less than 1-million-bushel capacity. The nsion of storage facilities was probably more a nse to increasing local grain production than to shipments from other areas. Some of the larger ities at Corpus Christi are secondary grain facili- rather than local storage installations and serve export trade. edure p‘ » g A random sample of commercial storage installa- a was drawn in each area and data were obtained rsonal interview of managers or other responsible nnel. The 92 storage units studied were about ercent of all commercial grain storage installations ’ e three areas. Higher percentages for samples TABLE 1. SAMPLE AND TOTAL NUMBER OF STORAGE INSTALLATIONS BY SIZE GROUPS Number and proportion by size Area A" Less than 500,000- 1,000,000- 2,500,000 sizes 500,000 999,000 2,499,999 bushels bushels bushels bushels and above No. No. % No. % No. % No. % High Plains Total 351 175 50 81 23 74 21 21 6 Sample 46 19 41 13 28 11 24 3 7 North Central Total 174 115 66 34 20 16 9 9 5 Sample 27 15 56 5 18 4 15 3 11 Coastal Bend Total 50 24 48 1 7 34 8 1 6 1 2 Sample 19 . 7 39 10 50 2 1 1 All areas ' Total 575 314 55 132 23 98 17 31 5 Sample 92 41 45 28 30 17 18 6 7 in North Central Texas and the Coastal Bend were advisable because of the smaller number of storage installations in those areas. A check of sample units against all units by size categories showed the sample to represent the total as shown. in Table l. Information from sample elevators on amounts of different kinds of grain in storage, although not precisely comparable in point of time to Crop Reporting Estimates of storage stocks, were not inconsistent with those estimates for the 1960 season. Thus, checks on size and kinds of grain stored showed sample elevators with a pattern similar to all elevators in each of the three areas studied. Information from the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service and the State Crop and Livestock Reporting Service was used to supplement data obtained by field interview. STORAGE SPACE AND ITS UTILIZATION Storage Capacity and Stocks The 1956-60 period was used to study adjust- ments in storing, handling and moving sorghum grain in the State. Under the stimuli of rapidly increased TABLE 2. OFF-FARM STORAGE CAPACITY ON JANUARY 1, 1955 AND 1960, PERCENTAGE INCREASE IN STORAGE SPACE AND PROPORTION OF TOTAL STATE CAPACITY BY AREASI Total offlform 1960 space Proportion of A stow e s me as a total space rec 9 p percent of in the State 1955 1960 1955 space 1955 1960 —— 1,000 bushels —- — — Percent — — High Plains 132,100 310,789 235 44 47 North Central 107,000 165,148 154 36 25 Coastal Bend 15,300 37,881 248 5 6 Others 45,600 145,402 319 15 22 Texas 300,000 659,220 220 100 100 lSource: Based on data in Texas Grain Storage Statistics, Texas Crop and Livestock Reporting Service, AMS, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Bulletin 5, March 1960. "The capacity totals reflect storage at rice warehouses only to the extent that the storage has been approved by the Commodity Credit Corporation for storing other grains than rice.” This does not affect data in the areas studied since no rice is grown and handled in those areas. TABLE 3. OFF-FARM JANUARY 1 GRAIN STORAGE CAPACITY AND STOCKS, STOCKS AS PERCENT OF CAPACITY, AND KIND OF GRAIN AS A PERCENT OF TOTAL GRAIN STOCKS, TEXAS, 1955-601 Kind of grain as percent of total stocks Off-farm Stocks as Year Storage stocks percent Januaryl capacity of of Sorghum grqin- capacity 9min Wheat Others Million bushels -— — — Percent — —- --— I955 300 214 71 42.2 55.0 2.8 1956 320 227 71 47.0 50.0 3.0 1957 360 225 62 50.3 47.2 2.5 I958 390 313 80 64.8 31.6 3.6 1959 567 456 80 69.9 27.1 3.0 I960 659 543 82 72.6 26.2 1.2 ISource: Texas Grain Storage Statistics, Texas Crop and Livestock Reporting Service, AMS, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Bulletin 5, March 1960. 2lncludes sorghum grain, corn, wheat, oats, barley and rye. production, the increased carryover stocks each year, and movements of out-of-state CCC stocks into Texas, off-farm storage capacity (excluding facilities han- dling only rice) increased from 300 to 659 million bushels, Table 2. An estimated 70-million-bushel capacity was added by 1961. Demand for storage space gave much of the impetus to increase capacity. The areas studied had 85 percent of the State’s total storage in 1955 and 78 percent in 1960. The greatest increase in quantity of storage occurred in the High Plains, the large-st production area. In 1960 the area had 311 million bushels or 47 percent of the off-farm space. The Coastal Bend had only 6 percent. While total storage space was. mushrooming to more than twice the 1955 capacity, storage stocks were increasing even more rapidly, Table 3. In 1955, the 300-million-bushel capacity was 71 percent occupied while in 1960 the 659-million-bushel capacity was 82 percent occupied. Grain sorghums and wheat account for more than 97 percent of all stocks in storage. Sorghum Figure 2. Most elevators are fairly well equipped to handle receipts‘ by truck. 6 grain has steadily increased. In 1955, sorgh I occupied about 42 percent of the sp-ace and in ‘Q about 73 percent, at the expense of wheat. Altho the percentage of wheat occupancy declined by é than one-half during the period, the actual amo j, in sto-rage increased from 118 to 142 million bush i. i. Additions and New Elevators The most profitable size of a country grain age facility depends o-n demand, as well as cost p technological conditions. The marked increase; total storage capacity and size of individual units largely in response to changes in the structure: demand for storage. I Formerly the feasible size of a country stoi facility was restricted by the amount of grain ; i locally and moved into marketing channels. T’ have been three major changes affecting demandj storage. First, not only has production of grai< local areas increased, but the proportion which m, into marketing channels (especially feed grains) I increased. Second, stocks of Government grain t in storage from year to year increased. Third, of-state grain stocks have move-d into storage faci I in Texas built along the routes to the export ship points at Houston, Galveston and Corpus Christig; a result of these changes, motivation to increase age facilities was influenced less by local grain duction and influenced more by outside forces. Toimeet the demand for more storage {I capacity was added to existing facilities and, storage installations were built. Individual st were larger, indicating an increase in the most p able size. The 259 million bushels of capacity aj from 1955-60 were about evenly divided between; installations and expansion of existing facil Table 4. In the High Plains and Coastal Bend, most space came from. expansion of existing facilities North Central Texas, however, more than four- of the additional space came from new storages. . reasons explain this (1) the ease with which o-ff state stocks can be moved into the areas along , TABLE 4. INCREASE IN STORAGE SPACE BY ADDITIONS T0 I TORS EXISTING IN 1955 AND BY NEW ELEVATORS, 1955 Increase in storage capacity, I 955'“, Proportion; By additions By new 1'1"" . Areas to storages storages Total 2 Add; existing built after increase "on; in 1955 1955 _ _ _- 1,000 bushels - - - - Pe ¢ High Plains 97,564 81,125 178,689 54.6 i North Central 10,172 47,976 58,148 17.5 Coastal Bend 14,362 8,219 22,581 63.6 All areas 122,098 137,320 259,418 47.1 lSource: Data in the table are based on CCC-approved s10 I 2The difference between 1955 and 1960 total capacities 1 in Table 2. 3 _5. STORAGE SPACE BY PERIOD OF CONSTRUCTION AND TYPE . OF STRUCTURE ‘hype Storage capacity by period when constructed y We Prior to 1956 1956-60 inclusive 1,000 bushelsl Percent 1,000 bushels‘ Percent 29,062 22 142,951 80 g ht 103,038 78 35,738 20 ; antral 52,430 49 44,192 76 glut 54,570 51 13,956 24 T Bend g 2,907 19 20,097 89 ht 12,393 ' 81 2,484 11 s ' 84,399 33 207,240 80 I ht 170,001 67 52,178 20 _' ‘ties given in the table are total storage space quantities ted in proportions determined from the sample survey. routes, and (2) older facilities predominate in rea and are more difficult to add to because of , location and limited land for expansion. ‘In the type of structure built there was a marked ; from upright to flat storage buildings, Table 5. 55 about two-thirds of the capacity in the sample was upright. Only about one-fifth of the city added after 1955 is upright. Flat structures have several advantages over up- ts for storing grain. Less capital investment per e1 of storage is needed, thereby easing credit rements. Flat storage may be adaptable for uses when not needed for grain storage.“ And Jly, flat storages are well adapted to the use of tion. There also were shifts in the construction ma- ls used for new facilities in the 1956-60 period, 1e 6. In flat storages constructed before 1956, “ t4?» percent of the capacity was steel, 42 percent ete and the remaining I5 percent divided among wood, wood and steel, and wood and concrete ma- terials. About four-fifths 0f the upright storage was constructed of concrete. After 1955 there was a definite swing toward steel in both flat and upright structures except in the High Plains where concrete was used in upright structures. Larger units were built in that area and there was a considerable shift to flat structures. Up- right concrete structures were built mainly to main- tain what they consider a proper upright to flat space ratio. The general use of steel in all areas is explained mainly by lower initial investment costs, especially in smaller capacities, ease of installing or adding to existing facilities, greater probability and greater potential for shifting to other uses. Some storage operators stored grain on the ground temporarily in the peak season, while others were forced to refuse storage space—particularly for sorghum grain—in one or more of the years 1956-60. Despite these space shortages only a few operators had definite plans to expand facilities due partly to the increas- ingly uncertain future demand for storage. Much of the uncertainty was caused by expectations of possible policy changes in the management of CCC grain stocks. Less than l0 percent of the operators had definite plans to increase their storage capacity. More recent developments have justified their reluctance to build additional storage. Merchandising and Turning Space Merchandising space is that used to handle grain brought in for early sale or transfer and held for only a short time. In many facilities 9O percent or more of total space is used throughout the year for grain storage, much of which is more than 1 year old. As the new grain crop comes in, it must either be moved through the merchandising space or old grain must be moved out to make room for the new grain. Most storage operators attempt to keep merchandising space TABLE 6. STORAGE SPACE BY SPECIFIED MATERIAL AND TYPE OF STRUCTUREI f , and com Storage built prior to 1956 Storage built 1956-60 inclusive °" malflhl Flat structures Upright structures Flat structures Upright structures 1,000 bushels Percent 1,000 bushels Plains Steel 25,226 86.8 8,243 Concrete 1,453 5.0 86,758 Othersz 2,383 8.2 8,037 Central Steel 8,389 16.0 8,185 Concrete 33,555 64.0 44,748 Others? 10,486 20.0 1,637 “at Bend I Steel 3, I 2,907 100.0 4,771 Concrete '1 7,362 ’ Others” ' 260 reas Steel 36,522 43.3 21,199 Concrete 35,008 41.5 138,868 Olhersz 12,869 15.2 9,934 Percent 1,000 bushels Percent 1,000 bushels Percent 8.0 141,521 99.0 6,111 17.1 84.2 29,055 81.3 7.8 1,430 1.0 572 1.6 15.0 36,017 81.5 12,630 90.5 82.0 5,568 - 12.6 1,326 9.5 3.0 2,607 5.9 8.5 20,097 100.0 2,484 100.0 .5 197,635 95.4 21,225 40.7 .7 5,568 2.7 30,381 58.2 .8 4,037 1.9 572 1.1 udes wood, steel and concrete and steel and wood structures. ple proportions were applied to total storage capacities by areas to obtain estimates of quantities in the table. Figure 3. Aeration was adopted at a rapid rate after its development. A majority of elevators now have all or part of their facilities equipped for aeration. at a minimum t0 store as much grain as possible and at the same time receive all grain delivered to their facilities at harvest to maintain “good will.” Operators with no aeration facilities, or insuffi- cient facilities to care for total capacity, need vacant space to turn their grain while it is in storage. Too, many operators with aeration facilities still practice turning. If turning is not required during the harvest season, space used for merchandising can later be used for turning. Although operations of merchandising and turning may supplement each other, the storage operator under normal conditions considers storage utilization capacity as somewhat less than total storage capacity. p Storage operators estimated that slightly less than 6 "percent of the total space in 1960 was needed for merchandising and turning. Individual estimates varied, depending on the extent of their merchan- dising activities and their needs for turning. TABLE 7. USE OF STORAGE SPACE BY SORGHUMS AND OTHER GRAINS AT PEAK OF SEASON, 1955 AND 19601 Turning is more co-mmonly practiced in the Plains and, since harvest occurs later, more grai stored and less merchandised than in other ar Apparently, merchandising activity by storage o tors in North Central Texas is important. Sev operators estimated more than one-fourth of space was needed for that purpose. Use of Storage Space l“ The use of grain storage facilities in Tex characterized by (l) the dominance of sorg among the grains stored, (2) the heavy role of CCC in storage operations and the large pr‘ tion of space used for carryover stocks, mostly of already forfeited to CCC. These conditions v 7' intensity but are sufficiently prevalent in all are: justify some concern with the effect of gover i: programs to reduce production and carryover , on the grain storage industry. = Facilities were used at or near capacity l‘ during the peak of the season in both 1955 and Table 7. Slightly less than three-fourths of all stored in 1955 was sorghum and this increasi four-fifths by 1960. With minor exceptions, sor, 4 is the only grain stored in the Coastal Bend, l is the main competitor for storage space in the Plains, and corn, wheat and other grains vi No-rth Central Texas. i" Sorghums held by CCC, both under loan forfeited, were slightly less than four-fifths o: sorghum stored in 1955 and slightly more than, fifths in 1960. Considerable amounts of sorgh _ storage are carryover stocks, mostly CCC grain,‘ have been in storage for some time. An esti. 115 of the 39s million bushels of sorghum sto 1960 were more than 2 years old, Table 8. O l’ percent of all sorghum stored in the High '1 compared with about half in the other two arel more than 2 years old. ‘A Ratl _, Total Rana of Space used Area and Space used for all Space used for sorghum sorghum to sorgh . storage . . . for sorghum . year space grams at peak gram at peak all grams he'd by cccs by '2 stored total K 1,000 bushels 1,000 bushels Percent 1,000 bushels Percent Percent 1,000 bushels P0 High Plains i 1955 132,100 125,495 95 97,754 74 77 A 60,766 1960 310,789 304,573 98 242,415 78 80 195,797 North Central 1955 107,000 104,860 98 66,340 62 63 56,710 1960 165,148 160,194 97 120,558 73 75 105,695 Coastal Bend 1955 15,300 14,382 94 14,382 94 100 13,158 1960 37,881 34,851 92 34,851 92 100 31,441 All areas 1955 254,400 244,737 96 178,476 70 73 137,054 1960 513,818 499,618 97 397,824 77 80 332,933 ‘Proportions were determined from the sample study. Quantities were determined by exterpolating these percentages to total storage.‘ the areas for the years specified. 1 2Includes grain both under loan and forfeited to CCC. 8 a. s1oc1