Maize dryers at the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) are faulty, officials have said, raising fears of high post-harvest losses as heavy rains continue. FILE PHOTO | NMG
Maize dryers at the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) are faulty, officials have said, raising fears of high post-harvest losses as heavy rains continue.
The NCPB says its ageing dryers need maintenance but lacks budget for the purpose, raising the risk of exposure to aflatoxin and other moisture-related losses.
The Kenya Meteorological Department has warned that the heavy rains that have delayed harvesting in bread baskets of Trans-Nzoia and Uasin Gishu may extend up to December.
Maize dryers at the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) are faulty, officials have said, raising fears of high post-harvest losses as heavy rains continue.
The NCPB says its ageing dryers need maintenance but lacks budget for the purpose, raising the risk of exposure to aflatoxin and other moisture-related losses.
“The dryers are working but not effectively. We need some funds to make them work optimally,” said NCPB head of communications Titus Maiyo.
The Kenya Meteorological Department has warned that the heavy rains that have delayed harvesting in bread baskets of Trans-Nzoia and Uasin Gishu may extend up to December.
Last week, Chief Administrative Secretary in the ministry of Agriculture Andrew Tuimur acknowledged that the NCPB dryers required “some maintenance” before they could start working.
“I know they are not working at the moment but they just need some maintenance to be up and running,” said Dr Tuimur.
Farmers have raised concerns over the issue given that county governments, which should offer alternatives, do not have enough dryers.
Cereal Growers Association of Kenya chief executive officer Anthony Kioko said farmers are likely to incur huge losses if the State dryers are not fixed on time.
“Farmers have now been left on their own, without working dryers at the NCPB and with limited alternatives, they are staring at losses,” said Mr Kioko.
A handful of farmers in the North Rift has started harvesting amid heavy rains, slowing down the exercise.
The NCPB normally dries maize for farmers at a fee of Sh30 per every drop of moisture from a 90 kilo bag. Dr Tuimur says they may consider lowering the cost if the situation gets worse.
The NCPB only allows in grain that has moisture content of less than 13 percent, which is considered as the safe levels for drying.
As a result, Mr Kioko says farmers might be forced to sell their crop at lower price as NCPB cannot buy grain whose moisture content is above the required threshold.
“The farmers will fall victim to brokers who will pay less for their produce when they sell wet grain to them because buyers would also have to meet the cost of drying,” he said.
The weatherman predicts that rains will continue in the coming months and it is expected to cause havoc.
A number of deaths have been reported following the heavy downpour.
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