The entrepreneurs that buy, dry and aggregate maize produce are decrying shortage of mobile drying machines following the high demand amidst prolonged heavy rains.

This call follows last year’s importation 16 mobile drying machines by the government to improve post-harvest handling in the wake of few drying shelters (hangars) in the country.

The mobile dryers have the capacity to dry 10 tonnes in four and five hours while cob dryers can dry between four and six tonnes in 18 hours

However, according to investors, the number of these dryers in still low given the rise in the production of cereals. More dryers, they added, would increase the safety of maize and other cereals aflatoxin poison that is caused by high moisture

The months of January, February and March normally face short dry season with less rainfall which facilitates harvesting activities for Agricultural season A but, according to climate change experts, heavy rains have intensified due to climate change.

As result, this is affecting post-harvest activities.

"We have mobile dryer that handles 10 tonnes of cereals harvest. We are using it but due to heavy rains most of the produce has high moisture the moisture content is at 30 per cent which requires more drying machines,” said Joseph Mpambara, the representative of Vision Storage Facilities.

He said that they are rejecting some maize produce because they have already been affected by Aflatoxin as they do not get drying machines on time.

The 10 mobile drying machines have been leased to the investors by Rwanda Agriculture Board (RAB) and are expected to handle some 120,000 tonnes of maize.

The investors gradually pay RAB Rwf750,000 per month, and will eventually own the machine after five years.

"RAB promised us more machines,” he said.

Due to high humidity in maize produce, Mpambara said that the drying cost has also increased.

"We used to charge farmers between Rwf17 and Rwf18 per kilogramme but we have increased it to Rwf32 per kilogramme,” he said.

Fabrice Gatera, the representative of Isoko General Trading CO Ltd said, that the mobile drying machines were timely, adding that because the moisture content is currently high due to heavy rains more drying machines are needed to ensure produce is dried in the shortest period possible.

"The moisture content is very high. As service providers we are incurring some losses.  If we get 10 tonnes to dry, we lose one tonne which is a big loss,” he stated, saying they had appealed for RAB to come up with a business model that works with cooperatives to minimise loss.

120,000 tonnes of maize in need of drying

Patrick Karangwa, The Director General of Rwanda Agricultural and Animal Resources Development Board, said that in partnership with USAID-funded Hingaweze project they are assessing the current situation of post-harvest activities to be able to address the challenges adding they will find out if the existing mobile drying machines are even being maximized and used properly.

"Some investors might have many farmers in need of drying service, the situation that can exceed their drying capacity while the others might not have such demand. Therefore, we should ensure that they collaborate,” he said.

He said that over 350,000 tonnes of maize harvest is expected across the country and 120,000 tonnes need to be dried for storage and the market while other tonnes are directly consumed.

"Two years ago, awe invested Rwf11 billion in drying facilities across the country to fight against aflatoxin. The 10 mobile drying machines which government bought and privatized can also dry between 35,000 tonnes and 90,000 tonnes per year if maximized and used properly. There are also 45 machines owned by private investors,” he said.

According to RAB, there are five companies which have a leasing contract with RAB through a public private partnership that are aggregating and handling cereal harvest using the subsidized mobile dryers.

Drying fee charge on farmers ranges between Rwf25 and Rwf8 per kilogramme depending on rate of moisture.

The mobile grain dryers use electricity and can be connected to tractors in order to use their power to run their diesel-powered burner where there is no electricity supply system.

The interventions are in addition to 1,453 drying infrastructures and 518 storage with a total capacity of 44,165 tonnes and 296,770 tonnes respectively across the country as of 2020/21.

Postharvest losses in Rwanda account for 16-22 per cent for cereals losses and 11 per cent for beans. The country targets to reduce the loss to 5 per cent by 2024.