By Olamide Tejuoso
Farmers have been advised not to use pesticides and other chemicals when storing dried beans and other legume crops by the Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute (NSPRI) and the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC). The head of NSPRI, Dr. Akin Olagbaju said this at a sensitisation workshop in Sokoto, which was organised, to enhance the capacity of farmers and merchants on how best to preserve beans for effective and profitable exportation.
Warning further, he reiterated that the use of chemicals for storage is the cause of several ailments such as cancer among many others. Olagbaju added that the NSPRI was also working on research on how to best to store onions and other varieties of crops for long term use and exportation. About 95 beans farmers and merchants, who were selected in Sokoto State for the exercise, were taught alternative methods of preserving their crops without using chemicals. The participants were urged to make use of the opportunity to practice what they learned at the workshop, for business advantages as well as for the benefit of their produce.
