PICS Bags

# Do Not Feed Weevils After Harvest—Store Your Grain in PICS Bags

A farmer can spend months preparing land, planting, weeding, chasing birds and praying for rain. Then, after harvesting, a small army of weevils enters the store without paying rent and begins eating the profits.

That is not merely an insect problem. It is a business problem.

Grain damaged during storage loses weight, quality and market value. A farmer may then be forced to sell early at a low price or accept losses while waiting for better prices. Good post-harvest storage helps protect the value already created in the garden.

## Introducing PICS Bags from Agape Innovations

Purdue Improved Crop Storage—or PICS—bags are triple-layer hermetic storage bags designed for storing properly dried agricultural produce. Agape Innovations Limited supplies PICS bags as part of its post-harvest solutions for farmers, traders, cooperatives and development programmes.

Unlike an ordinary sack, a PICS bag has two inner plastic liners and a protective outer woven bag. When the liners are properly sealed, the enclosed environment restricts the oxygen available to storage insects. This slows their activity and reproduction, helping protect dry grain with minimal insect damage.

Purdue University describes PICS as a simple, affordable technology that helps farmers preserve dry crops against storage insects using triple-layer bags. [Purdue PICS Network](https://ag.purdue.edu/department/entm/extension/pics-network/)

The technology does not perform magic—it performs science. But when a technology works quietly, farmers are allowed to call it magic during village meetings.

## What Can Be Stored?

Depending on the applicable PICS guidance, hermetic bags have been used for commodities including:

* Dry maize
* Beans and cowpeas
* Soybeans
* Sorghum and millet
* Rice
* Groundnuts
* Selected dry seeds and other grains

Agape’s official product information presents PICS bags as triple-layer hermetic storage technology for protecting harvested produce. [Agape Innovations](https://agapeinnovations.com/pics-bags-protect-your-harvest-with-agape-innovations/)

Before storing a particular commodity, farmers should obtain crop-specific guidance from an agronomist or trained supplier.

## Why Farmers and Agribusinesses Should Consider PICS Bags

### 1. They help protect grain from storage insects

Properly sealed hermetic bags restrict the conditions storage insects need to remain active and multiply. This helps reduce avoidable quantity and quality losses.

### 2. They can reduce dependence on storage insecticides

When used correctly with suitable dry grain, PICS technology can protect produce without mixing insecticide into the grain. This is particularly valuable where grain will be used for household food, seed or markets with strict residue requirements.

### 3. They can give farmers greater marketing flexibility

A farmer who cannot store safely may sell immediately after harvest, when many other farmers are also selling. Better storage can provide more flexibility over when to consume or market the produce. It does not guarantee that prices will rise, but it prevents insects from becoming the first customers.

### 4. They are relevant beyond individual farmers

PICS bags can support:

* Farmer cooperatives
* Grain aggregators and traders
* Seed producers
* School-feeding programmes
* Humanitarian and food-security projects
* NGOs supporting post-harvest management
* Households storing food for later consumption

## Correct Use Matters

Even the best bag will fail if handled like an ordinary sack.

For effective storage:

1. **Dry the produce properly.** PICS bags preserve grain; they do not dry wet grain. Sealing produce with unsafe moisture can encourage mould and quality deterioration.
2. **Clean the grain.** Remove dirt, plant residues and damaged material before filling.
3. **Inspect every layer.** Holes or tears interfere with the airtight environment.
4. **Fill carefully.** Keep the liners away from sharp objects and rough surfaces.
5. **Remove excess air and tie each inner liner separately.** Then close the outer woven bag securely.
6. **Store bags off the floor.** Use clean pallets in a dry, protected room away from leaking roofs, direct sunlight and rodents.
7. **Avoid unnecessary opening.** Opening introduces fresh air. If produce is removed, the remaining contents should be resealed immediately.
8. **Inspect the store regularly.** Check for rodents, water leakage, punctures and poor stacking.

PICS bags should never be used to hide mouldy, wet or already spoiled grain. A good bag protects good produce; it cannot hold a counselling session with rotten maize.

## Protect the Harvest You Worked For

Post-harvest management should not begin when insects appear. It should be planned before the crop leaves the garden.

Whether you are storing a few bags for household food, aggregating produce for a cooperative or managing grain for an institutional programme, Agape Innovations can help you access genuine PICS bags and practical guidance on their correct use.

Do not work for months only to open your store and discover that the weevils have held a thanksgiving ceremony.

**Get PICS Bags from Agape Innovations Limited.**

**Agape Innovations Limited**
**Call/WhatsApp: 0771830747 / 0709717844**

**Protect the grain. Preserve the quality. Defend the farmer’s investment.**