LAGOS – The Farm Director, Cedar Agro Farms Ibadan, Mr Olayinka Omotayo, on Tuesday said Government should grant farmers access to silos to ensure proper storage facilities for grains.
Omotayo told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that improper storage system was a major challenge in securing harvested grains which caused post harvest losses.
He said that farmers needed support in drying and preserving harvested grains such as maize, guinea corn, millet, amongst others, to prevent mould from growing on it.
“There are government-owned silos in different parts of the country, most of which are not being used. Government should allow farmers have access to these facilities.
“They can privatise or lease out these stores to farmers, whereby it will serve as storage for harvested grains and also be used as drying centre.
“If farmers do not store their produce properly, they are left to selling them out almost immediately after cultivation at an unprofitable price.
“Proper storage system ensures availability of these crops all year round whereby farmers are able to sell their produce anytime they want,’’ Omotayo said.
He noted that if farmers could have direct access to the silos it would serve as a multipurpose centre where farmers would carry out post-harvest activities.
“We want a system where farmers can harvest, dry and shell their grains almost immediately in a secured environment.
“There won’t be situations where we are drying and the weather is interrupting, which has always been our challenge,’’ he said.
Omotayo said that the availability of the storage centre would ease the process of preserving the life-shelf of the crops.
The farm director also noted that the stores could be used as a collection centre where farmers could sell to retailers at a regulated price. (NAN)
