Seed Distribution Center: A Concept Evolution in Seed Production

The seed production system is one of the most important factors in the Brazilian agribusiness chain, involving sectors ranging from seed supply, the packaging industry, and many professionals specializing in production, quality control, marketing and distribution, among others. This market generated a revenue of BRL10 billion in 2017 and is currently generating more than BRL20 billion, with soybean and corn seed production contributing 80% to this revenue. 

Brazil stands out as one of the largest grain producers in the world, thereby, requiring large volumes of high-quality seeds and helping to create new businesses and companies, in addition to a vast number of jobs.

How can we increase the quantity of seeds produced without compromising quality? To answer this question, the focus must be on research-generated technology, such as the development of new materials adapted to different regions with tolerance and/or resistance to pests and diseases and increased productivity, without the need to open up new areas. However, the logistics for storing and distributing these seeds remain a major bottleneck in the seed production system.

The difficulties faced by the seed sector in terms of storage and, especially, distribution logistics can cause serious problems, since a seed is an extremely perishable product. This is due to the fact that production is concentrated in specific regions within states and around the country where environmental conditions enable the production of high-quality seeds. 

One way of solving this storage and distribution problem is to increase the range of production areas. However, further relevant studies are required, such as in terms of lower altitudes, temperature increases at night, and encouraging plants to spend more energy on the respiratory process, thereby, leading to the production of seeds that may be less vigorous. In addition, the management of pests and diseases will become more intense, resulting in higher production costs. 

Nevertheless, some regions offer good environmental conditions, such as Lagoa da Confusão in the state of Tocantins, Brazil. Despite having an average altitude of 200 meters (m) above sea level, this region can produce high-quality seeds. However, there are some problems associated with high temperature conditions, such as a high percentage of soybean greenish seeds.

Another solution is the adoption of the Seed Distribution Center (SDC) concept, which was specifically developed for the storage of seeds under controlled temperature and relative humidity conditions, in order to receive processed seeds shortly before reaching the final consumer, which is the rural producer. In addition, an SDC can offer the necessary equipment for the industrial treatment of seeds.

MAIN PROBLEMS TO BE ADDRESSED

It is a fact that most rural producers do not have adequate seed storage facilities in their properties, even for the short-term. Currently, producers can access information and are aware that seed quality can decrease when exposed to non-ideal storage and transportation conditions. Therefore, farmers do not accept seed lots before the recommended sowing period, thus, concentrating the seed delivery season and causing serious problems to the distribution of seed lots before the sowing process.

The first problem occurs with seed producing companies, because the dispositions of seed lots stored in warehouses does not always correspond to orders that will be sent, and the positions of seed lots inside a warehouse have to be constantly modified to allow access to those to be loaded first.

The second issue is the availability of vehicles, most notably trucks, for transporting large volumes of bags and sacks, since there is a high demand for these vehicles during the concentrated delivery period, and consequently, the cost of freight per ton of seeds transported will increase.

The third problem is the distance between the production unit and the rural property, because the longer it takes to deliver seeds the more they are exposed to high temperatures and relative humidity during transportation, and such conditions are detrimental to the maintenance of seed quality, especially, for soybean seeds.

The fourth difficulty is how to determine seed germination capacity and the quality of seed lots delivered to farms, due to the short time between delivery and sowing, which affects the estimates of the number of seeds required per meter and causes problems related to “plantability” and the initial establishment of plants, therefore, leading to decreased productivity.

Finally, a delay in sowing is a major problem caused by the mentioned reasons. For example, the delayed sowing of soybean seeds causes a subsequent delay in soybean harvesting and, consequently, affects the planting window for corn, cotton and other scheduled crops. The delayed sowing process also causes serious consequences to the agricultural production system, as shown in studies on climatic risk to agricultural zoning and constraints to access credit, as well as to rural insurance.

ADVANTAGES OF SEED DISTRIBUTION CENTERS

The adoption of SDCs by the seed industry could be a solution to the problems cited above.

After harvesting and drying, the process of seed processing, packaging and storage begins. SDCs play a major role here, because instead of storing all batches in warehouses located near a production site, they can be transported to SDCs immediately after processing. 

In the state of Mato Grosso, soybean seeds are harvested between December and February, allowing seed lots to be transported by the end of February. Therefore, transportation can be better conducted in a staggered manner during a period with less rain and milder temperatures, while enabling the monitoring of seed quality from the time they leave the production unit until they arrive at the SDCs.

During transportation, if seeds are exposed to conditions that are not ideal for the maintenance of quality, causing damage or decreasing vigor and germination indices, seed lots can be replaced without compromising delivery to the final consumer.

Another important factor to be considered is reducing the distance between SDCs and consumers receiving the seeds. Since SDCs are strategically distributed near consumer centers, delivery can usually be made within 24 hours, from the departure of seeds from SDCs to the arrival at a rural property, provided that the schedule is made in advance. 

This distance reduction decreases freight costs and prevents seeds from undergoing long periods of transport, thus, avoiding exposure to temperature and relative humidity variations. 

After six months of storage, soybean seeds can present lower quality due to the intrinsic process of deterioration. For this reason, after seeds leave the SDCs, they should be immediately directed to sowing and should not be further exposed to low temperatures, because after leaving the controlled environment, they will be exposed to a more humid atmosphere, causing moisture to increase and affecting hygroscopic balance. As a result, the so-called “soaking damage” after sowing can be avoided.

The industrial treatment of seeds should also be considered. When performed shortly before the sowing period, it will not affect the action of products, whether defensive agents or microorganisms, applied to seeds. Consequently, products and seeds will offer higher effectiveness and performance.

Finally, SDCs allow the gradual delivery of seeds to farmers with relatively large storage areas, since they can receive the seeds as the sowing process progresses, preventing them from being exposed to uncontrolled conditions for long periods.

CONCLUSIONS

The adoption of SDCs provides numerous advantages to the production, storage and distribution process, while allowing better quality control at all production stages, especially in terms of distribution logistics.

It is evident that improving the production process and productivity gains depend on the use of high-quality seeds. Therefore, the concept of SDCs as a strategy to ensure the delivery of high-quality batches of seeds is a factor to improving agricultural production in Brazil, especially with regards to soybean farming.

This article was initially published in AgroPages' '2021 Seed Treatment Special' magazine.