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Govt Urged to Enhance PHM

Burger (left) during the launch Burger (left) during the launch - pic by Andrew Maneya

Farmers Organization Limited (FOL) has asked government to merge the post-harvest management (PHM) component in the Affordable Input Program in order to curb the losses the country is experiencing.

The organization’s managing Director, Henry Burger, told journalists in Blantyre that it is pathetic that out of the 4.3 metric tons harvest which the country has got this year, about 600, 000 tons will be lost due to poor storage mechanisms.

Burger said his company will continue to come up with technologies that will uplift lives of farmers in the country.

“We develop new technologies every year and we will continue creating them so that we create wealth to people in remote areas.

“We think government needs to do more to improve post-harvest management as the 15 percent post-harvest loss that the country experiences is huge,” he said.

The managing director was speaking after relaunching grain storage chemicals, super guard dust and super guard 50 EC in Blantyre in order to protect farmers produce.

But ministry of agriculture spokesperson, Grecian Lungu, says government is currently encouraging farmers to use helmatic bags technology to minimize the losses.

“As much as some farmers prefers to use chemicals to protect their harvest, we believe encouraging farmers to use helmatic bags is cheap, “said Lungu.

(Written by Andrew Maneya)

 

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