Zhuhai's first "smart" granary came under construction Jan 27 in Tangjiawan to meet Xiangzhou District's grain reserve demands for five to 10 years and replace facilities that are too small and outdated to keep up with urban development.

Xiangzhou Zhengfang Holdings will build six squat silos, a multi-story warehouse, mechanical repository, administrative room, and working towers. The depot will be capable of holding 71,000 tons of grain and cost 170 million yuan ($26 million).

The building site covers 30,000 sqm (7 acres) north of Qiguan Road and west of 6th Jinhong Road in Jinding Industrial Park.

Rendering of grain depot [Photo by Zeng Yao / Guanhai App]

By May 2022, the grain storage facility will run under a modernized and comprehensive management information system. It is to ensure the quality and safety of grains in storage at a lower cost under an efficient, energy-saving, green, and environmentally friendly plan.

Historically, the regional grain reserve of Xiangzhou played a significant role during the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak in 2003 and frigid weather in 2008 and is fulfilling a similar role during the current pandemic.

Grain depots of the district were built in the 1970s and 1980s in Qianshan, Nanping, Old Xiangzhou, and Jinding. The flattened Xiangzhou Grain Depot on Xingye Road in the former Xiangzhou North Industrial Zone will be replaced by a multifunctional administrative office building and the Qianshan Granary will be demolished as part of the renovation of Old Cuiwei Village.