A woman drying maize in Makueni county. [ Photo / Big issue ]
Maize farmers are at risk of losing an estimated Sh23 billion worth of grain due to poor maize grain storage.According to the latest report by the ministry of agriculture, farmers will lose 7.4 million bags of maize which is equivalent to 20 per cent of the projected harvest of 37 million bags this year.The ministry has linked the sharp drop to ongoing rains pounding various parts of the country making hard for farmers to dry the grains and thus causing a high production of dangerous aflatoxin due to moisture accumulation. “We are estimating 20 per cent post-harvest losses this year because of the ongoing rains, especially in the North Rift region where harvesting is going on,” said Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Willy Bett.A research by Tegemeo Institute of Policy has revealed that the country will face maize shortage and it will be forced to import maize next year April in order to bridge the four months deficit and maintain low flour prices. National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) has also noted that farmers are supplying to NCPB maize with high moisture content of up to 20 percent way beyond the minimum requirement of 13.5 percent for a safe storage.NCPB has also said that it will be targeting 2.3 million bags of maize to boost its storage grain reserve (SFR) after clearing off most of its stock this year following a serious shortage in maize flour. The country had on first half of this year experienced a shortage of maize that led to an increase in maize flour cost up to Sh 150 forcing the government to spend an extra Sh 6 billion on importing duty-free maize from international.