Kernel deploys new modular grain storage solution in Ukraine
The company has since purchased several more units, which together will add 40,000 tonnes of storage capacity, and plans to make the extra space available to other agricultural producers.
UKRAINE – Kernel Holding SA, a leading Ukrainian grains producer and exporter, has deployed a new modular grain storage solution designed to rapidly expand storage capacity amid continuing disruptions to the country’s grain export and logistics infrastructure.
Developed by a Ukrainian manufacturer at Kernel’s request, the system is intended to provide agricultural producers and grain operators with additional storage without the time and capital required to build permanent elevator facilities.
Kernel said it assembled the first modular storage facility in just four days and then loaded it with 3,400 tonnes of grain within two days.
The company said the modular system can accommodate around 3.5 times more grain than traditional polymer grain bags within a comparable footprint.
The structures can also be installed on paved surfaces, dismantled, and relocated, giving operators flexibility as storage needs change.
Kernel has purchased several units expected to add approximately 40,000 tonnes of grain storage capacity.
The additional capacity will be used for Kernel’s own grain and to provide storage services to other agricultural producers, according to reports.
The company has also said other market participants have begun ordering the technology after its pilot deployment.
The initiative comes as Ukraine continues to face pressure on grain storage and export logistics. Attacks on agricultural and port infrastructure have disrupted supply chains, while prolonged periods between harvest and export have increased the amount of grain requiring temporary or alternative storage.
Reuters reported in August that Ukrainian grain exports had fallen sharply amid disruptions to Black Sea routes, increasing pressure on farmers and storage infrastructure.
Kernel operates one of Ukraine’s largest private inland silo networks. Its FY2024 annual report stated that the company operated 28 silos with total grain storage capacity of about 2.2 million tonnes, providing grain intake, drying, cleaning and storage services to its farming operations and third-party producers.
The company’s latest modular system therefore represents an additional approach to storage resilience, allowing capacity to be deployed quickly and moved when required.
Kernel said its scale enabled it to absorb the risks associated with testing and refining the technology, potentially making the solution available to a wider group of agricultural businesses facing storage constraints.
Sign up to HERE receive our email newsletters with the latest news and insights from Africa and around the world, and follow us on our WhatsApp channel for updates.
