Post-harvest handling still setback for produce business- middlemen
AMURU-Middlemen in Amuru district have decried the poor post-harvest handling practices that make both the farmers and the dealers incur losses.
They argue that as middlemen, they have fallen victim to post-harvest handling as they buy produce that does not meet standards, as some farmers deliver unclean produce, moreover with high moisture content.
“Many farmers dry the produce on the bare ground instead of using tarpaulins while others bring to the market produce that is not well-dried something that has also affected the market,’’ says Francis Ngime of Kasagama and Sons, a company that buys dry maize, rice, and sim-sim.
He says his company has taken the initiative to train the farmers on post-harvest management, even though he says few of the farmers have taken the training seriously.
He said that if post-harvest handling is not done well, low grades of the produce will keep coming to the market, but will fetch low prices or be rejected by the consumers.
He equally advised the local consumers to stop buying goods that are of poor quality so that such farmers learn how best to handle the produce in their stores before they put it on the market.
“If the local consumers also reject such poor quality produce, it will be good for us as middlemen. Definitely, farmers will have to improve their post-harvest handling processes if they are to be offered good prices for their goods,’’ he advised.
He added that the middlemen are contracted by big companies to buy produce on their behalf and that if the producte produce is of poor quality, they suffer losses.
The Manager West Acholi Cooperative Union Bob Ogen, noted that sensitisation on post-harvest handling processes has been very key whenever they have community engagements, saying it helps farmers not to make losses.
As a mother cooperative, we cannot provide each farmer with drying materials, they should also dig into their pockets and have theirs.
“Quality standards should be observed by the farmers right from harvest, transporting, drying, storage and marketing. But you find someone drying and keeping their produce just on the verandah and by the time the products reach the market, they are of poor quality,’’ he said.
You might find a farmer with very good yields but if post-harvest handling is not done well, all that that the farmer laboured for might go to waste,’’ he said.
He however said they always encourage farmers to have drying materials in place so that the produce remains clean, which helps the farmers to earn better prices.
Cecilia Akullu, who deals in maize and sim-sim growing, noted that the farmers’ failure to invest in post-harvest handling is to blame for the poor quality produce they deliver to the market.
“There are farmers out there who have failed to spend so that they can have quality produce. They are still waiting for either partners or government to donate to them,” she said.
https://thecooperator.news/shea-butter-processors-decry-poor-post-harvest-handling/
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