Harvest is underway across the Corn Belt, and that means propane suppliers are gearing up for what could be a significant increase in demand for grain drying.
A strong harvest could mean increased demand for propane, particularly in areas where farmers need to dry corn before putting it into storage.
Michael Newland, director of Agriculture Business Development at the Propane Education & Research Council says propane supplies remain strong, with preparations already underway to meet the needs of farmers during the busy harvest season. “The propane industry continues to have more and more supply every single year, so supply is great. It is a fuel that does need delivered. And really, that’s the reason why the grain drying market is the one thing in the propane industry that can throw everybody a curveball if we have tremendous grain drying across the U.S. all at the same time.”
Suppliers are monitoring inventories, transportation and weather conditions to help ensure propane is available when and where it’s needed.
Newland says, “We’ve got some areas that are going to be what I consider more normal on grain drying. We’ve had a couple very dry corn years over the last couple years, but there’s some parts of the corn belt that are going to be back to normal corn drying.”
Farmers are also being encouraged to plan ahead, especially if wet conditions increase grain-drying demand.
With combines rolling and grain coming out of the fields, having enough propane on hand could be critical for farmers trying to keep harvest moving and protect grain quality.
