Grain Moisture Measuring Techniques-A Review

Moisture is the single most important characteristics for most agricultural products which influence all the stages of its handling and processing starting from harvesting, threshing, marketing, storage, milling and distribution. Accurate estimation of this moisture is of vital importance for all in the supply chain. Today various methods are available for the estimation of the moisture content of grains however few are used commercially. The oven method is still considered to be the ultimate and most accurate way of assessing the moisture of the grains. During procurement season (twice in a year), there is a greater interest by various agencies involved in purchase of grain about accurate and consistent evaluation of moisture content in the grains. This paper intends to review the available methods of moisture measurements, its principles and sources of inaccuracies. Relevant properties of cereal grain are also studied with their effect on moisture content, temperature, density and humidity.