Articles
Pre-export handling activities and exporters’ knowledge on yam rot in white yam (Dioscorea rotundata Poir.)
Article number
1422_49
Pages
409 – 416
Language
English
Abstract
Ghana is the largest exporter of yam in West Africa, however there are constraints associated with handling and storage before export.
Therefore, this study aimed at assessing the pre-export handling operations by exporters at their warehouses in Greater Accra Region.
Yam exporters, randomly selected, were interviewed using semi-structured questionnaire and observation of their warehouses.
The results showed that more males were engaged in export of yam than females, and these players were within the economically active age group of 35-54 years.
These exporters could not clearly differentiate the cultivars of white yam (Dioscorea rotundata) they exported, but they all attested that ‘Pona’ was the most exported cultivar.
Most of the exporters purchased their supplies from middlemen or at the farm gate, moved and packed them into warehouses.
The tubers were then sorted and graded.
The accepted tubers were then brushed, washed, disinfected with synthetic pesticides and air-dried for a day.
The tubers were then wrapped and packed in boxes and temporarily stored in packhouses ready for export.
All exporters knew about yam rot.
Even though they could not categorize the rots; they had their own traditional parameters used in identifying the types of rot and detect any yams that showed symptoms.
To guard against rots, they treated the yams with synthetic pesticide, a practice not preferred due to its numerous side-effects.
The exporters could not determine any safer or natural alternative.
Hence, there is the need to find natural substitutes to synthetic pesticides in controlling rot in export grade white yams.
Therefore, this study aimed at assessing the pre-export handling operations by exporters at their warehouses in Greater Accra Region.
Yam exporters, randomly selected, were interviewed using semi-structured questionnaire and observation of their warehouses.
The results showed that more males were engaged in export of yam than females, and these players were within the economically active age group of 35-54 years.
These exporters could not clearly differentiate the cultivars of white yam (Dioscorea rotundata) they exported, but they all attested that ‘Pona’ was the most exported cultivar.
Most of the exporters purchased their supplies from middlemen or at the farm gate, moved and packed them into warehouses.
The tubers were then sorted and graded.
The accepted tubers were then brushed, washed, disinfected with synthetic pesticides and air-dried for a day.
The tubers were then wrapped and packed in boxes and temporarily stored in packhouses ready for export.
All exporters knew about yam rot.
Even though they could not categorize the rots; they had their own traditional parameters used in identifying the types of rot and detect any yams that showed symptoms.
To guard against rots, they treated the yams with synthetic pesticide, a practice not preferred due to its numerous side-effects.
The exporters could not determine any safer or natural alternative.
Hence, there is the need to find natural substitutes to synthetic pesticides in controlling rot in export grade white yams.
Publication
Authors
S.O. Ampofo, P. Kumah
Keywords
root and tuber storage, natural alternatives to chemical compounds, fungal rot, warehouses
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