By Joshua Kato
-Thresh or shell your crops in a proper way. It is important for farmers to minimize damage to grains during threshing/shelling as damaged grain is much more susceptible to attack by insects and fungi in storage. Consequently, techniques that crush and damage grains such as beating with sticks are not recommended, except in commodities where beating poses no significant damage.
-Note that drying is the most important element of postharvest handling, so ensure that you do it properly. This includes drying on mats, plastic sheets or tarpaulin, raised stands, solar driers and for larger grain dealers there are mechanical driers.
-Ensure that the garden is clean, with no weeds after planting. It is advisable to weed two to three times without injuring the crop especially when the pods have started growing. Weeds host pests that may attack and damage the crops.
-Farmers should harvest crops and plants in time because delaying harvesting leads to the sprouting of already mature seed, creating an entry of the fungus.
-After harvesting, ensure that they dry immediately and properly. Moisture content for most grains is between 9%-14%. There are cheap grain moisture gauges that a farmer can use.
-Do not dry good grain mixed with bad grain. Bad grain carries pests that may infect the good one.
-Do not allow the produce to be wetted and soaked by rain, if it happens make sure it is dried as soon as possible again.
-At harvesting level, it is advisable to keep the grain in jute bags as these are aerated or clean plastic bags. There are also grain silos that can take 200-500kg.
When stacking or arranging the bags in the store, they should not be squeezed or placed on the bare ground. From the ground they pick up moisture which leads to the growth of mould.
