Ready to Dry a Lot of Grain?
By Zach Baugher
It’s no secret that a lot of crop acres were planted late this year due to the heavy spring rains. Does late planting lead to a fall season of heavy grain drying? It’s difficult to say at this time but planning now for heavier fall and winter propane usage may pay dividends during the upcoming peak-demand periods.
One of the simplest ways you can prepare is to have your propane tanks filled now, during the summer months when propane demand is lower. Participating in summer fill programs is a great way to do it. Not only does filling now ensure that propane is available for grain drying, it also allows you to take advantage of pricing opportunities when prices are usually at their lowest.
We recommend filling all propane tanks, including those on your home, shop or livestock buildings, too. If we experience an early winter, we will see the propane use for home heat rise and create additional demand. This creates the perfect storm and local propane prices can rise rapidly. We recommend locking in a price for at least a portion of the propane gallons you expect to use.
Our industry learned a few things from the 2013-2014 logistics issues that occurred when propane demand was high and local supplies were tight.While local propane retailers had difficulty getting supply, it wasn’t because the nation was low in propane. Instead, a lot of areas were short of supply due to the insufficient capacity of propane pipelines to carry it into the region. Since that time, however, our system has made several improvements to help alleviate future supply problems. Two of the most significant ones include additional investments in transport trucks and storage terminals. Positioning additional storage at key locations should help address initial demand.
We continue to watch the propane supply and demand situation to ensure our customers have propane. However, there is no substitute for good planning. By signing up for the Fixed Propane Pricing and filling tanks now, you can rest assured that you’ll be ready, and you’ll have one less headache during critical times.
For more information, visit the UPI Energy FS website to submit a ticket for a quote, or www.fspropane.com.