Ruvuma in serious grain storage crisis

Region is facing acute shortage of grain storage facilities following bumper harvest which is over ten times of the amount of the current season.

The region’s silos have the capacity of holding 26,000 tonnes but so far the amount bought from farmers is over 280,000 tonnes of maize.

The bumper harvest, according to National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA), was the result of the government’s pledge to increase maize buying price by over 40 per cent from 350/- to 500/- a kilo in 2014/15.

The NFRA Zone Manager, Mr Morgan Mwaipyana, said the agency last season bought 60,000 tonnes, but 2014/15 corn harvests have dwarfed the silos.

The manager told the ‘Daily News’ the actual region storage capacity is 26,000 tonnes forcing the agency to store the remaining stock at open space.

Mr Mwaipyana said the recently constructed storage facility with storage capacity of 5,000 tonnes by Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives is far from solving the problem.

He said the existing storage infrastructure was built many years and has been outpaced by modernity in farming and population increase to push up labour force.

The NFRA manager said of late the use of tractors, fertiliser and pesticides has considerably increased farmers yield. Mr Mwaipyana said open space storage is temporary and cereals were being covered by tarpaulins.

The challenge is to store maize properly during rainy days especially if downpours are accompanied with strong winds The amount bought by NFRA does not account for the total maize produced in the region as still private buyers are in the business as well, but procure at low prices.

SOURCE:DAILY NEWS

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