Utilize grain handing facilities to minimize post-harvest losses

Kiambu,

Tuesday, October 31, 2023

KNA Wangari Ndirangu

The National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) is calling on farmers and other interested parties to utilize their facilities to meet their grain post-harvest needs.

The board is offering post-harvest solutions such as grain-drying, aflatoxin testing and grain grading, general warehousing and Warehouse Receipt System (WRS), pest control services (fumigation and spraying), weighing and bagging and standardization at competitive rates.

In a press release today, the NCPB Managing Director Joseph Kimote said that all the services are being offered in silos and selected depots at affordable rates and farmers have been asked to inquire from the nearest NCPB depot on the availability of the services and the attendant charges. 

“NCPB is also offering Grain drying services at the Board’s fixed driers located in Nairobi, Eldoret silos, Kilgoris, Nakuru, Narok, Kisumu, Moi's bridge, Kitale, and Bungoma which farmers can use to dry their grain and avoid high moisture content which leads to aflatoxin contamination”, he said.

The Government, the MD noted that the National Cereals has distributed over 4 million bags of subsidized fertilizer for the 2023 long rainy season and this has led to the current bumper harvest.

Consequently, Kimote in the statements said there is a need to minimize post-harvest losses and maintain food safety through good post-harvest management and practices.

The country loses approximately 30 percent of its harvest annually due to poor post-harvest management of produce which results in reduced income for farmers as well as negatively impacting food security.

Courtesy; KNA