By Evance Chisiano
Blantyre, July 9, Mana: African Explosive and Chemical Initiative (AECI) formerly Farmers Association Limited has re-launched Super guard dust and liquid Super guard with an appeal to farmers to use the two grain protectors to avoid post-harvest loses caused mostly by large grain borer.
Speaking during the function on Thursday Managing Director for AECI, Henry Burger said the two products would contribute to the development of the country’s agro based economy as these have higher capacity to protect grains.
He said the two have been tested by Ministry of Agricultural and World Health Organization (WHO) to certify their efficacy and human safety.
AECI Marketing and Sales Manager, Ronald Chilumpha appealed to agro dealers to buy the grain protectors so that large and small farmers should protect their maize grain against pests as Malawi produced large tons of maize.
“We have a role to play in the agricultural sector because the current bumper yield needs to be protected from large grain borer,” he said, adding that the AECI has an obligation to protect this year’s 4.5 million metric tonnes of maize,” he said.
Chilumpha noted that 15 percent of grain maize in the country is lost due to post harvest loss saying this was regrettable.
A small scale farmer from Zomba, Horace Kholowa who was present during the function said he used the Super guard dust and liquid, adding that the two are both user-friendly, safer and cost effective considering the amount of maize grain protected from borers.
He added he had harvested 30 bags of maize this year and felt his harvest was safer after applying the liquid Super guard saying “the other benefit is that it is easy to administer.”
Apart from distributing the fumigants, AECI deals in grain storage bags.
The two super guards came back on the market about three months ago and they are currently in stock in most agricultural commodity outlets.
The super guard dust bottle of 200 grams is capable of protecting eight bags of 50 kilogrammes of maize grain while the 200 millilitres of liquid super guard has the capacity to save 80 bags of maize grain from destruction, according to AECI.
