November 20, 2007

China trains farmers on proper grain storage

China's State Grain Administration announced that it will soon launch a programme geared to train 32,000 farmers on better grain storage techniques to reduce wastage.

The programme will focus on the storage of corn, paddy and wheat and will be implemented in Liaoning, Sichuan and Shandong provinces.

According to a survey, China loses about 11 billion kilogrammes grain valued at US$2.7 billion each year due to inefficient grain storage.

Farmers in China's major grain-producing areas stored grain in knitted bags or clay vessels. This kind of storage, according to officials, cannot prevent mice and insects from eating the grain. The irrational spraying of pesticides while storing was also cited as a major health risk.

The government called on officials to assist rural farmers in improving storage to reduce losses, increase the farmer's income and ensure food safety.

The UN Food and Agricultural Organization said the world lost around 8 percent of total grain output each year due to insects and rot.

China faces challenges in grain security due to its decreasing farmland area and an increasing population of more than 10 million per year.