NSPRI distributes 190 storage facilities to farmers in Oyo

About 190 improved small-scale post-harvest storage facilities have been distributed to farmers in Oyo State by the Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute (NSPRI).

The institute made the distribution at the Ministry of Agriculture, state secretariat, Ibadan, Oyo State, on Monday.

The facilities comprised five smoking kilns, 125 iced fish boxes and 60 hermetic steel drums.

The Executive Director of NSPRI, Dr Patricia Pessu, said the new technology was an initiative of the Federal Government to reduce post-harvest losses of farm produce in the country.

Pessu, who was represented by the NSPRI Zonal Coordinator, Dr Funmilayo Ilesanmi, called on farmers to maximise the facilities, saying they would go a long way in boosting their agricultural businesses.

According to her, the smoking kiln is an efficient technology for drying fish and meat. She added that the kiln would ensure high quality products with permissible polyaromatic hydrocarbons.

“The ice fish box is a cold chain technology developed for extension of shelf-life of fresh fish. It is an effective means of handling fish for transportation, distribution, and marketing.

“The hermetic steel drum is an airtight technology developed by NSPRI for non-chemical preservation of dried crops/products such as grains, roots, tubers, fruits, vegetables, fisheries and livestock.

“In addition, the steel drum can be used in household/domestic and small-scale storage levels,” the director stated.