Maize harvests to hit 0.7m tonnes

Rwamagana-Rwanda expects a bumper maize harvest of at least 700,000 tonnes by the end of season 2011-2012 A. The director of Internal Trade at the Ministry of Commerce, Dativa Mukaniyonzima, announced the projections while addressing hundreds of members of various cooperatives and local leaders in Rwamagana yesterday. Mukaniyonzima said the Eastern Province ranks first in the country in maize production with 320,000 tonnes of maize. “This province has been doing great in maize production...the districts of Kirehe, Nyagatare and Gatsibo took us by surprise, with bumper maize harvests. Today, they have been joined by others including Rwamagana District,” she noted. Mukaniyonzima said that maize farmers in the country would not face any problem with the market, adding that the government would guarantee their produce. “Rwanda Green Cereals (RGC) Cooperative is tasked to buy farmers produce at a good price. Illegal maize dealers will be fined between Rwf 20,000 to Rwf 1 million...It is as strict as that,” she warned. She, however, warned that for farmers to succeed and make profits, they need standard storage facilities. Innocent Ukizuru, an agricultural officer, observed that agro-based cooperatives, should install storage facilities to ward off losses after harvest. He warned that farmers would continue to complain of insufficient income despite bumper harvests, if post harvest challenges were not well handled. “Research has shown that at least 50 percent of produce in rural areas is affected and wasted during post harvest time. Farmers and stakeholders should make sure that crops are handled well until they are sold,” he advised. A maize cooperative official in Rwamagana, Claude Karegeya, lamented that most farmers lacked materials, to construct storage facilities, but Rwamagana Mayor, Nehemie Uwimana, urged banks to avail agro-based cooperatives with loans to finance their projects. “We have a number of banks that should give farmers loans...they are supposed to do so under normal circumstances,” he stated.

National

Maize harvests to hit 0.7m tonnes