Shallot Storage

[AgriMY]

I would like to seek advice on how to store shallot properly so that it can stay on before it gets rotten so fast. Mainly I have bought bags of shallot which leaves and roots are not yet trimmed. Due to the number of the bags, I could not process all the shallots at one time ( meaning cut out the leaves and roots ). Therefore I store the original bags in stacks of 5-7 bags in my store room which I have installed large fan to provide better ventilation of air in that store.

However I am very disappointed, I find the shallots' condition getting worse week after week. They get damped, and they start rotting, becoming soft...

Therefore I would like to know what is the best approach here or what I have done wrong here ?

1) I eventually put the shallot under sun when I find them are getting damp , each bag is having about 6-7 bunch of shallots which tied together, but at least there is one bunch of them are rotting. Therefore no choice, I have them under sun to dry before I can process the cutting of leaves and roots.

2) Is it not advisable to store the shallot with leaves and roots for so long time in bags ?

3) Is it that I should only STORE the shallot which leaves and roots trimmed ? How to store them ? Put them inside mesh bag and can I stack those bags in 5-7 bags ?

4) Any way to save those shallots being infected with bacteria ? As I think they are currently infected with disease.

I need a lot of guidance and advice on how to store shallots. Please help.

Thanks.

[WatersEdge]

Hi AgriMY,

The farmers in my area have open air pole barns,

with horizontal beams spaced about 60cm vertically

and bamboo rods laid across those beams,

so that braided bunches of shallot and garlic

hung over the poles are completely exposed to air.

In this way they make full advantage of the entire inside air volume of the barn.

In the area between Tak and Chiang Mai,

the mountain region on Highway 106

there are a lot of Shallot & Garlic grown

Google Earth Placemarker attached of Hwy 106 Junction with Hwy 1

In this area you can see hundreds of this type barn from the highway.

This is the greatest single concentration of Shallot & Garlic farming that I have seen.

It's not an easy highway to drive,

6 hours to cover the same distance which on Hwy 1 takes 2.5 hours

but it is scenic mountain farm country.

If I was building a barn new,

I'd use 15x15 cm concrete posts,

3 to 5 meters above ground

6 meter centers lengthwise

3 meter centers crosswise

5x15 cm Rectangular Steel Tube horizontal beams bolted to the poles

with 5x10 cm Rectangular Steel Tube vertical spacers, 45 cm

to support the beams alongside the poles.

The roof structure design varying by overall building size,

but generally 5x10 cm Rectangular & C Steel Tube,

with corrugated sheet metal roof.

If you already have a building,

fill it with maximum air exposure beams and rods

and ventilate it well, preferably without walls

There was a man in Mae Sot who at one time

bought wet Garlic from the fields during harvest,

hung them to dry in his own large warehouse,

hired permanent hand laborers to steadily clean and sort throughout the year

packaged in 1 kg net bags

and sold during the annual price spike in February / March.

It seemed to be a thriving enterprise,

but alas, failing when his Bangkok sales agent skipped off with the funds.

106_Hwy_Junction_Hwy_1.kmz

[AgriMY]

Wao you have given me a detailed of how the barn should be. Thanks for the great information.

By the way, does anyone here happen to know how much is shallot being sold at chiang mai market now ? Will it be 20THB per kg ? I mean in those normal wet markets.