# Grain Bags and Rice Bags: Sacks, Bulk Bags and Silo Bags Compared

> Grain bags and rice bags compared: polypropylene grain sacks, 50 lb and 50 kg sizes, retail rice bags, bulk grain bags, and when silo bags make sense.

Published 2026-09-10 by Evergreen Packaging (Yantai Evergreen Packaging Co., Ltd.). Canonical: https://www.egpbags.com/blog/grain-and-rice-bags/

**Key takeaways:** - "Grain bags" covers three very different things: **25–50 kg woven sacks**, **500–1,000 kg bulk grain bags (FIBCs)** and **field silo bags** filled by a grain bagger. ;; Polypropylene woven sacks of **80–100 g/m²** are the standard for 50 kg grain and rice. ;; A 50 kg bag of wheat or rice needs about **60–65 L**; size the sack from bulk density. ;; Silo bags store grain on the farm for months; sacks and FIBCs move grain through trade.

**Grain bags come in three scales.** For trading, milling and retail, grain and rice move in **woven polypropylene sacks** of 5–50 kg. For moving grain by the tonne between farms, mills and ports, **bulk grain bags (FIBCs)** of 500–1,000 kg are used. And for on-farm storage at harvest, growers use **silo bags** — long polyethylene tubes filled in the field by a machine called a grain bagger. Most buyers searching "grain bags" need one of the first two; this guide explains all three so you can tell which fits.

## Polypropylene grain bags: the standard grain sack

Woven polypropylene grain bags replaced jute for most grain trading because they are lighter, stronger, cheaper, rot-proof and easy to print. A typical 50 kg grain sack is:

- **Fabric**: woven PP tapes, 80–100 g/m², about 10 × 10 to 12 × 12 tapes per inch
- **Body**: tubular (circular-woven, no side seam) or flat fabric with a back seam
- **Bottom**: single-fold or double-fold sewn, sometimes heat-cut and sewn
- **Top**: hemmed open mouth for sewing after filling
- **Options**: PE coating or liner for moisture, UV stabilisation, micro-perforation, printing

### Coated or uncoated?

Grain is alive in a sense: it respires, and freshly harvested grain may be slightly above safe storage moisture. **Uncoated** woven sacks breathe, letting heat and moisture escape, which is why they are traditional for grain and beans. **Coated or lined** sacks keep out humidity, dust and insects better and are preferred for milled rice, flour and export cargo that must survive humid sea freight. Our [Breathable PP Woven Bag with Wide Opening](https://www.egpbags.com/products/pp-woven-bags/breathable-pp-woven-bag-with-wide-opening-for-agricultural-grain/) is a typical breathable build; for sealed export bags see [importing woven bags from China](/blog/importing-woven-bags-from-china-checklist/).

## Grain bag sizes: 50 lb, 25 kg and 50 kg

Size depends on weight and bulk density. Volume (L) = weight (kg) ÷ bulk density (kg/L).

| Product | Bulk density | 50 lb (22.7 kg) | 25 kg | 50 kg | Typical 50 kg sack size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wheat | 0.77 kg/L | 30 L | 32 L | 65 L | 55 × 95 cm (22 × 37 in) |
| Shelled corn | 0.72 kg/L | 32 L | 35 L | 69 L | 60 × 92 cm (24 × 36 in) |
| Milled rice | 0.80–0.85 kg/L | 27–28 L | 29–31 L | 59–63 L | 55 × 90 cm (22 × 35 in) |
| Paddy rice | 0.55–0.60 kg/L | 38–41 L | 42–45 L | 83–91 L | 65 × 105 cm (26 × 41 in) |
| Barley | 0.62 kg/L | 37 L | 40 L | 81 L | 60 × 100 cm (24 × 39 in) |
| Beans (dry) | 0.75–0.80 kg/L | 28–30 L | 31–33 L | 63–67 L | 55 × 95 cm (22 × 37 in) |

These sizes are common starting points, not standards. Allow 8–12 cm of length above the fill line for sewing, and run a fill test before ordering.

**50 lb grain bags** are typical in North America for feed grain, scratch grains and whole corn sold through farm stores; a sack of roughly 40–45 cm × 75–80 cm (16–18 × 30–31 in) usually suits. If the grain is going to animals as feed, our [feed bags guide](/blog/feed-bags-guide/) covers retail formats and labelling.

## Rice bags: from retail to wholesale

Rice is packed across a wider range of sizes than almost any other grain:

| Pack size | Common bag type | Market |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2 kg (2–5 lb) | PE or laminated film pouch, vacuum pack | Supermarket retail |
| 5–10 kg (10–20 lb) | BOPP laminated woven bag with handle | Retail, ethnic grocery |
| 20–25 lb / 10–25 kg | BOPP laminated or printed woven bag | "Big bag of rice" for families and restaurants |
| 50 kg (or 100 lb) | Plain or printed woven PP sack | Wholesale, mills, export |

When shoppers ask for a **big bag of rice**, they usually mean a 20 lb or 25 lb retail bag — or 10 kg and 25 kg outside the US. Those packs are dominated by **BOPP laminated woven bags**, because the photographic print sells the brand and the woven base carries the weight. Wholesale and export rice moves in plain or flexo-printed woven sacks such as our [Custom Printed PP Woven Bag with Tear Resistant Fabric](https://www.egpbags.com/products/pp-woven-bags/custom-printed-pp-woven-bag-with-tear-resistant-fabric-for-rice-corn/) and [Woven Sack Rice Bags Polypropylene PP Recyclable Space](https://www.egpbags.com/products/paper-poly-bags/woven-sack-rice-bags-polypropylene-pp-recyclable-space-save-grs-ce/).

### Rice bag details that matter

- **Food-contact materials**: use virgin polypropylene and clean production for milled rice.
- **Handles**: die-cut or sewn handles on 5–10 kg retail bags.
- **Transparent windows**: let buyers see grain quality on premium rice.
- **Micro-perforation**: releases air on filling so bags lie flat on pallets.
- **Moisture**: in humid climates, coated or laminated bags slow moisture uptake and pest entry.

For laminated retail rice bags, see our [BOPP laminated bags guide](/blog/bopp-laminated-bags-guide/); for broader food packaging, see [food packaging bags for B2B](/blog/food-packaging-bags-b2b/).

## Bulk grain bags (FIBCs)

When grain moves by the tonne but not by the truckload, **bulk grain bags** take over. A grain FIBC typically holds 500–1,000 kg, measures around 90 × 90 × 120 cm and has:

- A **filling spout or duffle top** for clean filling from a hopper
- A **discharge spout** for controlled emptying into a mill, mixer or seeder
- **Breathable uncoated fabric** for fresh grain, or a **liner** for milled products
- **Food-grade** production for grain going into food or feed

Rough capacity check: 1,000 kg of wheat at 0.77 t/m³ needs about 1.3 m³, which fits a 90 × 90 × 165 cm body or a 105 × 105 × 120 cm baffle bag. Lighter grains such as oats need more volume. See [bulk bag sizes and dimensions](/blog/bulk-bag-sizes-dimensions-calculator/) and [food-grade bulk bags](/blog/food-grade-bulk-bags/) for detail, and always respect the safe working load on the bag label.

## Silo bags and grain baggers: what are they?

Searches for "grain bagger for sale" relate to a different product altogether. A **silo bag** (also called a grain bag or silage bag) is a long tube of multilayer polyethylene film, commonly about 9–12 ft (2.7–3.6 m) in diameter and up to 200–300 ft (60–90 m) long. A **grain bagger** is a tractor-driven machine that pushes harvested grain into the tube in the field; a matching **extractor** empties it later.

| Feature | Woven grain sacks | Bulk grain bags (FIBC) | Silo bags |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity per unit | 5–50 kg | 500–1,000 kg | Roughly 150–300+ t, depending on size and grain |
| Material | Woven PP | Heavy woven PP | Multilayer PE film |
| Main purpose | Trade, retail, milling | Transport and storage between sites | Temporary on-farm storage at harvest |
| Equipment needed | Scale and sewing machine | Filling frame, forklift or crane | Grain bagger and extractor |
| Reusable? | Sometimes | Some designs, with care | Single season |

Silo bags work by creating a sealed, low-oxygen environment: grain respiration uses up oxygen and raises carbon dioxide, which slows insects and mould. They are a harvest logistics tool for growers who lack bin capacity. Specialist ag-equipment dealers supply silo bags and baggers; **EGP does not make silo bags or baggers** — we make the woven sacks and FIBCs that grain moves in after it leaves the field.

## Choosing the right grain bag: quick decision guide

1. **Selling grain or rice in retail packs?** BOPP laminated woven bags, 5–25 kg.
2. **Trading, milling or exporting grain?** Plain or printed woven PP sacks, 25–50 kg.
3. **Moving grain between farms, mills or seed plants by the tonne?** Bulk grain bags (FIBCs), 500–1,000 kg.
4. **Storing your own harvest on the farm for a few months?** Silo bags filled with a grain bagger, or permanent bins.

For seed grain specifically, the requirements change (lot labelling, treatment warnings, breathability); see our [seed and fertilizer bags guide](/blog/seed-and-fertilizer-bags/).

## Grain bags for sale: ordering from a factory

If you are buying grain bags for sale to farmers or for your own mill, a factory quote needs:

- Product and fill weight, plus bulk density or a sample
- Width × length (and gusset, if any), in cm or inches
- Fabric weight (g/m²) and color (white, transparent, colored)
- Coating, liner or micro-perforation requirements
- Printing: number of colors and sides
- Quantity per design and annual volume

Our white [White PP Woven Bag Sack 50 kg for Corn Flour Bean](https://www.egpbags.com/products/pp-woven-bags/white-pp-woven-bag-sack-50-kg-for-corn-flour-bean-packaging/) is a common starting point for corn, beans and flour. For a real-world example, see our [grain sacks for Caribbean export project](/projects/grain-sacks-caribbean-export/).

EGP manufactures woven PP grain and rice bags and FIBC bulk bags in Yantai, Shandong, with 24 years as an Alibaba.com supplier and a 4.9/5 store rating. Browse [PP Woven Sacks](https://www.egpbags.com/products/pp-woven-bags/) or [FIBC Bulk Bags](https://www.egpbags.com/products/fibc-bulk-bags/), then send your specification through the [contact page](/contact/).

## Frequently asked questions

### What size bag holds 50 kg of rice?
A woven PP sack of about 55 × 90 cm (22 × 35 in) typically holds 50 kg of milled rice with room to sew the top. Paddy rice is lighter per litre and needs a larger sack, around 65 × 105 cm.

### Are polypropylene grain bags safe for food?
Woven polypropylene is widely used for food grains when it is made from virgin resin in clean production. For milled rice and flour, ask for food-contact compliant materials and, where needed, a liner.

### How long can grain be stored in woven sacks?
Properly dried grain in woven sacks can keep for many months in a cool, dry, ventilated store raised off the floor. Long storage in humid or pest-prone areas calls for liners, hermetic inner bags or fumigation practices.

### What is the difference between grain bags and silo bags?
Grain bags usually means woven sacks or bulk bags used to trade and transport grain. Silo bags are large polyethylene tubes, filled by a grain bagger, that store hundreds of tonnes on the farm temporarily.

### Where can I buy bulk grain bags?
Bulk grain bags (FIBCs) are sold by packaging distributors and directly by manufacturers. For container quantities or custom sizes, buying factory-direct is usually most economical; send us your fill weight, grain type and filling method for a quote.

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Contact: doristeng2013@yt-evergreen.com · +86 186 6389 6305