By Umar Nsubuga
Small things in agriculture cost a colossal sum. By the time the small matter is noticed, then it has become such an issue, that the investment is in ruins.
Take pests for instance. They are the most destructive problem farmers have to live with.
Pests can invade the farmers’ production cycle at any time and they are usually hardly noticed until it is too late.
It is by becoming vigilant at all times and taking precautions in anticipation of an attack that those large losses can be prevented.
At the moment there are thousands of tonnes of cereals, especially maize which is being hoarded by farmers to get a better price.
However, several farmers who stored their maize about three months ago are weeping, amazed by the level of destruction the pests have visited on them.
It is not that they did not notice. About six weeks after the harvest there were one or two weevils and they seemed to be insignificant.
That is what Harriet Kisakye Kayunga noticed last year when she checked on her stored maize.
All this could have been avoided had she used storage powder to preserve her produce. As with the storage dilemma, farmers are equally puzzled when huge acreages of maize and other cereals that they have planted fail to germinate.
Despite the seed looking good at the time of planting, it may fail to sprout. The failure of good seed to germanite properly is usually caused by pests in the ground which eat up it up.
Sometimes where germination has occurred vermin such as rodents and birds eat the germinating seed preventing it from growing.
Using treated seed from the farm supply shops nearest you enables the seed to germanite and sprout with vigour.
By using a small amount of money purchasing treated seeds, the farmer saves a large amount of it which fills the gaps and delays in the growing period.
It is wise to contact your agricultural extension officer for the right amount of chemicals to use.
