Food security is the cornerstone of national security. As the world's largest producer and consumer of food, China's total grain output will reach 690 million tons in 2023, including 210 million tons of rice, 138 million tons of wheat, and 270 million tons of corn. Under the promotion of the "14th Five Year Plan" for high-quality development of grain, grain processing is comprehensively upgrading from "rough processing" to "refinement, safety, and intelligence". Color sorting machines have become the standard core equipment in modern grain and oil factories, and the penetration rate continues to increase.
1, Market size and penetration rate
In 2023, the overall market size of color sorting machines in China is about 5.87 billion yuan, of which the grain processing field accounts for 42.3%, with a scale of about 2.48 billion yuan, firmly ranking as the largest application field. The market size of grain color sorting machines will increase to 3.86 billion yuan in 2024, a year-on-year growth of 12.3%.
In terms of penetration rate:
Large scale rice factories: The penetration rate of color sorting machines has increased from 42.6% in 2018 to 69.3% in 2023
Rice processing: penetration rate reaches 78.2%
Wheat processing: penetration rate reaches 63.5%
Corn/miscellaneous grains: penetration rate of about 35%, with the fastest growth
2, Pain points and value: replacing manual labor, reducing costs and increasing efficiency
Traditional manual picking of 1 ton of rice requires 2-3 people/day, with a missed detection rate of 8% -15% and a labor cost of approximately 80-120 yuan/ton. And a dual channel color sorting machine can process 3-8 tons per hour, with a daily processing capacity of over 150 tons. The impurity removal rate remains stable at 99.8%+, and the sorting cost per ton is reduced to 30-50 yuan. One machine equals 50 people's efficiency, and the investment payback period is generally 6-12 months.
3, Technological upgrade: AI+multispectral, from "color selection" to "quality selection"
The new generation of grain color sorting machines are commonly equipped with:
20 million pixel high-definition CCD, with a recognition accuracy of 0.1mm ² for small defects
AI deep learning algorithm, database covering * * 2000+* * types of grain defects
Multispectral (visible light+infrared), capable of identifying internal mold, Aspergillus flavus, blackheads, and insect infestations
Intelligent flow control+flexible chute, crushing rate * *<0.5%**
Taking rice as an example, it can accurately remove yellow grains, mold grains, blackheads, belly whites, stones, glass, metal, and hair, making the finished product meet export grade standards, with a premium of up to 15% -30%.
4, Typical application scenarios and data
Rice processing: The factory processes 200 tons of rice per day and is equipped with 2 four channel color sorting machines. Impurities are reduced from 1.2% to 0.03%, and the yield rate is increased by 2.5%, resulting in an annual income increase of approximately 1.8 million yuan.
Deep processing of corn: Removing moldy grains (risk of Aspergillus flavus), sorted corn can be used for high-end feed, starch, and alcohol, increasing its value by more than 20%.
Coarse grains (millet/buckwheat/quinoa): In 2024, the sales of coarse grain color selection equipment increased by 25% year-on-year, becoming a new growth point.
5, Industry Trends
Localization rate: The domestic market share of domestic color sorting machines has reached 81.5%, and import substitution has been basically completed
Export growth: 9848 sets will be exported in 2023, and the export volume will be 980 million dollars in 2024, with the "the Belt and Road" accounting for 63.4%
Intelligence: Remote operation and maintenance, algorithm iteration, and data traceability have become standard features
Conclusion
From "eating enough" to "eating well and safely", color sorting machines have become the throat equipment for quality control in the grain industry chain. In the future, with the deep integration of AI, multispectral, and IoT technologies, color sorting machines will further evolve towards high speed, high precision, low damage, and intelligence, helping China move from a "grain giant" to a "grain powerhouse".