Calculate the true cost of drying grain including fuel, electricity, and shrink losses. Compare drying methods to find the most economical approach for your operation.
Moisture at harvest
Safe storage moisture
Market or contract price
Selling at harvest may be more economical
$0.77/bu total cost
7 points to remove — High Temperature — Corn
Shrink Loss
5,765 bu
$25,941 | 11.53%
Fuel Cost
$12,250
7,000 gal propane
Electricity Cost
$210
1,750 kWh
Drying Cost/Bu
$0.25
fuel + electricity only
Total Drying + Shrink Cost
$38,401
$0.77/bu
Dry Bushels Remaining
44,235
from 50,000 wet bushels
| Scenario | Gross Revenue | Drying Costs | Net Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry & sell at target moisture | $199,057.5 | -$12,460 | $186,599 |
| Sell wet (elevator discount) | $211,000 | $0 | $211,000 |
| Wet sell advantage | -$24,401 |
Elevator discount estimated at $0.04/bu per moisture point over target. Actual discounts vary by location.
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This tool calculates two major cost components of grain drying: direct drying costs (fuel and electricity) and shrink losses (weight loss from moisture removal plus handling loss). Together, these determine your true cost per bushel to dry grain from harvest moisture to safe storage levels.
Shrink is calculated using the standard formula: shrink % = (initial moisture − target moisture) / (100 − target moisture) × 100 × shrink factor. The shrink factor of 1.4 for corn accounts for both moisture weight loss (1.0) and invisible handling loss (0.4). Soybeans and wheat use slightly lower factors.
Fuel consumption varies by drying method: high-temperature dryers typically use 0.02 gallons of propane per bushel per point of moisture removed, while low-temperature in-bin systems use roughly 0.005 gallons per bushel per point. Natural air drying uses no fuel but requires significantly more fan electricity.
| Scenario | Drying Cost/Bu | Shrink Cost/Bu | Total Cost/Bu |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corn 25% → 15% (high-temp) | $0.25-$0.40 | $0.55-$0.80 | $0.80-$1.20 |
| Corn 20% → 15% (high-temp) | $0.12-$0.20 | $0.30-$0.45 | $0.42-$0.65 |
| Corn 20% → 15% (low-temp) | $0.06-$0.12 | $0.30-$0.45 | $0.36-$0.57 |
| Soybeans 15% → 13% | $0.03-$0.08 | $0.15-$0.25 | $0.18-$0.33 |
The break-even point between field drying (selling at discount) and mechanical drying depends heavily on the harvest moisture discount schedule at your elevator. Many elevators charge $0.03-$0.05 per bushel per point over target moisture, which can make on-farm drying more economical at higher moistures.