potato storage warehouses goes through the factors of good structural design, carefully designed air distribution, a reliable ventilation system and the people who take care of the warehouse.
Each of these is like links in a chain. Just as a chain is as strong as its weakest link, a possible malfunction that may occur in one of these elements cannot be eliminated by the others, so the desired storage purpose cannot be achieved. Potato tubers are living, breathing organisms. When they breathe, they give off carbon dioxide, moisture and heat.

Potato Harvest

It is understood that the harvest time has come in potatoes, the leaves and stems turn yellow and dry, the tubers take their normal size and are easily separated from the plant, and the peel thickens and hardens. The bark is not easily peeled off with nails. The cross-section of the tuber is not wet, but dark in appearance. It is necessary to be very careful when harvesting potatoes. Tubers should not be cut and damaged, no lumps should be left in the soil. During dismantling, the soil should not be wet, it should be tempered.

Potato harvesting can be done in different ways:

• Potatoes are removed and picked by hand with a waist, fork waist or hoe.
• It is removed with a plow and collected by separating it from the plant by hand.
• Harvesting is also done with the machines that remove the single or double row and separate it from the plant.

If the tubers are wet after harvest, they are dried in the shade. The sick, rotten, bruised and peeled ones are removed. Then it is classified as large, medium and small size and filled into mesh sacks.

Potato Storage

Potato tubers are ventilated to prevent carbon dioxide, humidity and temperature from rising to extremely high levels and to provide a suitable environment for viable potato tubers. Ventilation and cooling of the potato warehouse can be defined as ensuring the correct air temperature, air circulation and distribution throughout the warehouse and tubers. The purpose of these three factors is to obtain uniform tuber temperature, humidity and air throughout the potatoes in the warehouse. Potatoes can be stored in high quality for a long period of 10 to 12 months, depending on the variety characteristics, by providing these environmental conditions.

Potatoes are stored either in bulk (net storage capacity or bulk density: 600 to 650 kg/m3) or in hemp or nylon sacks (50 kg per sack, bulk density: 500 kg/m3). The traditional method of storage (storage in bags), which requires mechanical loading and unloading, is preferred for lower capacities and when most customers use the same warehouse. However, no matter what type of structure is used for the storage of potatoes, some of the following features must be met for safe, efficient and economical potato storage.

• It should be structurally sound. It should be resistant to load pressures arising from external forces (wind, snow, rain), such as the pressure of potatoes in the warehouse,
• It should have adequate insulation. By providing adequate insulation, precautions are taken against the formation of condensation in the warehouse. Total thermal conductivity coefficient should be 0.284 W/rmK. This amount of insulation is equivalent to approximately 75-100mm thick polyurethane and 150-200mm thick fiberglass. Condensation on the ceiling of the potato warehouse can be reduced or eliminated by applying one or more of the following, as well as providing adequate insulation throughout the warehouse.
• The return air duct is extended to the top of the roof,
• By by-passing the air or using auxiliary fans, a constant flow of air circulating through the ceiling is ensured,
• If necessary, the temperature of the air circulating through the ceiling above the potato is increased by 1-2 T (0.55 – 1.10°C) to increase the water holding capacity.
• It should be waterproof from the outside, The roofing material of the tank should prevent rain or moisture from entering the insulation material. This is especially important with insulation materials such as glass wool. Wet insulation; it is a bad insulation material that causes the heat to escape between the ceiling and walls,
• It should be vapor-proof from the inside. In addition to protecting the insulation material against external moisture, it must also be protected against moisture coming from the inside. To prevent moisture from breathing potatoes from entering the insulation material, the interior should be covered with moisture insulation material. Polyethylene plastic, aluminum foil or any other suitable material can be used for this.
• Appropriate ventilation should be provided with adequate air distribution. A fully ventilated system with adequate air distribution will maintain a uniform temperature throughout the potato pile. However, some warehouses have distribution systems that do not give the same amount of air at the duct outlets, resulting in different temperatures throughout the potato pile.
• The humidification system should be sufficient. Ventilation should be provided at a minimum relative humidity of 95% to 98% with an adequate humidification system throughout the cooling period. The air used to moisten potato piles should be at least 95% humid.
• There should be sufficient control devices. The air temperature used to properly ventilate the potatoes can only be achieved with adequate ventilation. When the outside air is at the lowest humidity, there should be a humidification system that will provide adequate humidity. The air flow required to cool the potatoes should not be given too much and this temperature should be obtained during the storage period.

Conclusion

Potato is a product that contains a lot of water, so if it is not stored well, it suffers a lot of damage. Tubers rot, shrivel, sprout and lose their value. Tubers at their best; It can be stored as mature, undamaged and clean at 3-4°C temperature, 85-90% relative humidity and in special protection tanks with good ventilation system to remove carbon dioxide, water and heat caused by respiration and provide oxygen. Heap height in storage can be 3-4 meters for edible potatoes. For seed potatoes, it should be at most 1 meter. As Highend, we use Potato Storage Units equipped with high quality equipment in three different capacities in potato storage warehouses . Our potato storage unit meets all the requirements for potato storage.