Substantial losses are common due to various reasons of durable crops during storage, which threatens economy, health and food security. Despite the frequent reports on post-harvest losses of paddy and other cereals throughout Sri Lanka, a comprehensive study has not been conducted in Anuradhapura district in recent past to assess storage losses of aforesaid commodities. Objectives of this study were to find out main types of durable crops stored following harvest, and their quantitative and qualitative losses incurred during storage period at the household level in Anuradhapura district of Sri Lanka. Data were collected throughout Anuradhapura district representing all 22 divisional secretariats. The main stored commodities were paddy, maize and greengram. The storage period varied from 4 to 12 months. The storage losses of Nadu and Samba rice varietal types respectively were highest in Palagala and Kekirawa, whereas losses were minimum in Rambewa and Galenbindunuwewa. The main qualitative losses were the presence of damaged seeds, grain flour/dust, grains without kernel and faecal matter. The study highlights that severe quantitative and qualitative losses occur during storage of rice, maize and greengram, and appropriate remedial measures are needed to be developed to minimize the said losses ensuring food security.
The augmented losses occur during the storage of grains but details on such information is minimum under Sri Lankan conditions. Unawareness of relevant and updated information on these losses prevents the adoption of appropriate remedial measures for the protection of these stored grains. Therefore, the current study was conducted in Anuradhapura district of Sri Lanka to determine the types of household-level storage structures/places used, grain losses occurred in those structures/places and nature of insect infestation of stored paddy, maize and mungbean. A questionnaire survey was conducted throughout Anuradhapura district using farmer families. Four main structures/places used in grain storage in different divisional secretariats were identified. The storage structures/places used from the highest to lowest frequency were room inside house, kitchen, room outside the house and temporary hut. Sitophilus oryzae was the most abundant stored pest followed by Sitotroga cerealella, Tribolium castaneum and Rhyzopertha dominica. The structures/places of grain storage and abundance of insect species were different among divisional secretariats. This study discloses the structures/places of grain storage, their frequency of use as well as the main insect species responsible for grain losses in the Anuradhapura district of Sri Lanka.
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