Posted on October, 25, 2019 at 08:29 am
By AGATHA NGOTHO Science Writer - The Star
Farmers have been urged to make use of the mobile maize driers provided by counties, the NCPB and the private sector to reduce post-harvest losses.
Agriculture CAS Andrew Tuimur has told farmers in the North Rift to make use of the machines to reduce post-harvest losses and to avoid rotting and contamination of maize due to the rains.
Farmers in Trans Nzoia, parts of Uasin Gishu, Nandi and Bungoma counties have started harvesting the long-rain maize crop.
The National Cereals and Produce Board has driers in Nakuru, Nairobi, Eldoret, Moi’s Bridge, Kisumu, Narok and Bungoma silos and in Kitale and Kilgoris depots. The charges are Sh35 per moisture drop per bag.
“This will help reduce the 20 to 30 per cent post-harvest losses that the country is likely to experience due to the ongoing rains. As a result, this will reduce the expected maize harvest this year to 33 million bags,” he said.
Last year, the country experienced a bumper harvest of 44 million bags following good rains.
Tuimur confirmed that there will be a drop of 10 million bags this year due to various reasons including post-harvest losses, decrease in acreage under the crop and the delay of long rains.
Crop and Research PS Hamadi Boga said the current rains could spell doom to farmers in the North Rift who have started harvesting the long rains maize crop.
The PS said farmers may be forced to sell their maize in haste due to lack of storage facilities and hence poor prices.
“The process of managing this period from harvest all the way up to the market is a critical one as we are likely to lose about 30 per cent of the harvest and this is too much,” he said.
Boga said farmers are currently using the traditional method of stooking maize to allow the crop to dry in the farm.
“These traditional approaches are not effective and they are tedious, labour-intensive and the maize may rot because of the ongoing rains,” Boga said.
Kenneth Kaigai, who in charge of crops in the agriculture department in Trans Nzoia, said they expect 5.5 million 90kg bags of maize this harvest.
“Farmers should use the two mobile maize driers that the county has purchased to support farmers in dying their maize. We also have warehouses that will be used as maize drying and collection centres,” Kaigai said.
Tuimur said the maize is likely to have high moisture content than the recommended level of 13 saying if the issue is not well addressed, may lead to contamination.
“We should invest more in the mobile maize driers due to the changing weather patterns and at least have one drying machine in every ward. I think this is the way to go to reduce post-harvest because currently, farmers are struggling to dry maize using traditional methods like stooking,” Tuimur said.
The CAS advised farmers to also take advantage of the good rains and plant early maturing crops like beans, green grams and vegetables.
“But farmers should be careful not to plant crops in areas that are prone to flooding and livestock keepers should also be on high alert.”
Source: The Star