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Meerut, 17 May (HS). The Agriculture Department has taken the initiative to solve the problems faced by farmers in grain storage. The Agriculture Department has advised farmers about safe food storage measures and called upon them to adopt them.
Ashok Yadav, Deputy Director (Agricultural Defense) of Meerut Division, said that the major tasks in agricultural system include sowing, ploughing, pest disease management, nutrition management and storage of produce after harvesting. In unsafe food storage, the post-harvest loss due to insects, rodents, micro-organisms etc. is about 10 percent of the food grains. The annual storage loss in India is estimated at 14 million tonnes of which out of the total estimated loss of about Rs 7000 crore, the loss due to pests alone is about Rs 1300 crore. The contribution of pests alone in post-harvest storage losses is 2-4.2 percent. In India, about 100 species of pests cause economic losses in stored products. By taking measures for safe food storage, the loss caused every year can be reduced.
Main reason for the outbreak of pests in storage: Moisture – If there is more than 10 percent moisture in the stored grains, then the number of pests starts increasing and fungus also grows rapidly in the grains. As a result, the clotting ability of grains gets reduced and it is also harmful for health. If sufficient oxygen is available in the storage room or container then the number of insects increases very rapidly. Which needs to be controlled.
Temperature- 25-27 degree centigrade temperature is suitable for the growth and development of insects. Insects develop heat spots to maintain proper temperature in the storage room. The growth of pests can be prevented by keeping the temperature of the storage room low.
Main reasons for insects reaching the storage room: Through the field – the proboscis lizard, small moth and pulse beetle reach the storage room in various stages on sacks or grains of standing crop in the field without the knowledge of the farmer. Through the threshing place – some insects are already available on the threshing floor, which reach the storage room along with the grain at the time of threshing. Through the transport vehicle – some insects are already hidden in tractors, trolleys, bullock carts, etc., which reach the storage room along with the grain. Through the old storage room – some insects are already hidden in the storage room, which infect the grains on seeing favourable conditions at the time of grain storage.
Tips/recommendations for safe grain storage: From harvesting to the storage room, grains should be brought with utmost care so that no insect stage remains in the grains. The godown, crucible, storage house where it is to be stored should be properly cleaned and repaired. Cracks or holes etc. should be completely closed with cement, so that rats, insects or moisture do not enter. Before storage, make a solution of Galathion 50 percent EC in the ratio of 1:100 and spray it on the floor, wall and ceiling of the storage room, crucible, barn etc. at the rate of 3 liters per 100 square meter, the hidden insects are killed. Drying old sacks in harsh sunlight or soaking them for 10 minutes in a solution of Galathion 50 percent EC in the ratio 1:100 kills the insects hidden in the sacks. The grains should be dried thoroughly in the sun, so that not more than 10 percent moisture remains in the grains. After drying in the sun, it should be cooled and kept in storage containers etc.
If storage is to be done in a room or warehouse, then a layer of 2.5 feet thick, clean, dry and new straw should be placed on the floor and rings of sacks should be placed at a distance of 2.5 feet from the wall, which saves moisture in the warehouse. If it is to be stored in sacks in the storage room, then rings should be placed on the sacks leaving only 1/5th of the height and for the protection of insects, aluminum phosphide powder pouch 50 percent 10 gram packing of 150 gram/100 cubic meter or aluminum phosphide 15 At the rate of 12 grams of packing, 600 grams/100 cubic meter is kept between the sacks and the storage room should be closed well and made air tight. The packet of aluminum phosphide powder pouch 56 percent should be cut from the edge, the inner pouch should be taken out and kept in the middle of the sacks, whereas the tablet of aluminum phosphide 15 percent should be kept wrapped in a cloth. If the grains are to be stored in a crucible or barn, then one sachet of aluminum phosphide 50 percent 10 grams powder or one metric ton of aluminum phosphide 15 percent 12 grams packing tablet is placed in the crucible or barn in the middle of the grains as per the method mentioned earlier. It should be completely airtight.
Keeping dry neem leaves at the bottom of storage containers and along with grains prevents insect infestation. Before storing grains in barns or sacks, mixing Neem seed kernel/Nimoli powder at the rate of 1 kg per quintal of grains prevents insect infestation. High temperatures can be avoided by spreading a thick layer of sand on the floor before storing onions and potatoes. Grains to be stored for use in seeds should be stored by mixing Malathion 5 percent powder at 250 grams per quintal. Chemicals should be used only under the supervision of a technical expert. Due to safe grain storage, the quality of grains/produce is not affected by insects, due to which farmers get fair price for their produce.
Agriculture Department is giving grants
Under the Pest/Disease Scheme by the Agriculture Department of Uttar Pradesh, various ecological resources, there is a provision of subsidy to the farmers on 50 percent subsidy (maximum Rs. 2000 per barn) on 5, 3 and 2 quintal barns of 24 gauge. Farmers registered on the departmental portal can get grants through DBT. He has requested the farmers to use the suggestions/recommendations given for safe food storage.