Mapping of quality parameters of pre-processed corn, soybean and sorghum grains in the region with the biggest grain production in northwest of Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Abstract

Pre-processing becomes essential to ensure the maintenance of grain quality, since quality parameters such as moisture content, impurity content and percentage of damaged grains must be within standards established by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (MAPA) through the Normative Instructions. Therefore, this work aimed to map the quality parameters of corn, soybean and sorghum grains delivered by farmers to Coagril, during the year 2022. Data were collected on cargo received from cooperative and non-cooperative customers in the classification sector and the data was averaged obtaining the average values for water content, impurity content, gross cargo weight; truck tare weight; net weight; discounted weight and net weight of the load. The collected data were subjected to descriptive statistical analysis with the aid of an electronic spreadsheet. After analyzing the data, it was observed that the grains that arrived at the Cooperative in 2022, received from cooperative members and non-cooperative customers, for corn grains, according to the standards established by MAPA, presented water content above the standard and were within the standards established for impurity content and percentage of damaged. The soybeans presented moisture content within the standards and, in addition, the impurity content and percentage of damage in the cargo received from members were above the standard allowed by MAPA only in the months of May and July, respectively. Finally, the sorghum grains presented water content within the standards and impurity content above the standards established by MAPA in the months of May, June, July and August.