The National Food Reserve Agency says the absence of operational grain drying machines within the agency poses a significant risk in terms of moisture content for the stored commodities.
As a result, the agency has been rejecting suppliers who provide maize with moisture content higher than the recommended maximum of 12.5 percent in the procurement of eleven thousand metric tons.
Confirming the development to MIJ Online Dennis Kalekeni, Board chairperson said going forward the agency is planning to install grain dryers in the silos to ensure that future procurements are not affected by moisture content.
“Let us indicated that the silos here in Lilongwe were commissioned somewhere back in the 1979, and therefore the driers have been dysfunctional as of now, and as an institution we are now looking into it so that we replace the driers,” Kalekeni said.
He added “We are quite happy that a number of partners are interested to support us in this project, such as World Food Programme”.
Kalekeni emphasized that maize is prone to rotting if stored with high moisture, so it needs to be adequately dried.
Meanwhile, the agency has announced that all suppliers who are unable to determine the moisture content prior to delivery are encouraged to bring a sample of maize to any NRFA Depot in advance.
The samples will be tested free of charge for moisture content assessment.
