WHY DO WE FUMIGATE GRAINS AND STORAGE STRUCTURES?

This is because Insects damage stored grain in two ways:

• Direct feeding damage, resulting in loss of weight, loss of nutrients, reduction in germination, reduction in grade and a lowering of market value.
• Deterioration and contamination by their presence, resulting in downgrading of grain and lowering of market value because of foreign matter in grain (insects and insect parts), odors, molds and heat-damaged grain.

WHEN DO WE CARRY OUT GRAIN FUMIGATION?

The farm managers and Jannakill Pest Solution decision to fumigate grains is related to;

1. A sampling procedure must be able to supply very accurate insect density information on a timely basis, and this information must be used to predict, early in the storage season, which grain is at higher risk of insect-related deterioration and hence the subsequent fumigation.
2. The insect density in the grain can easily be determined with special equipment and this determines whether to fumigate or not. In fact in the traditional farm setup, farmers always have ingenuous ways of determining insect density.
3. Depending on time of the year and the type of grain (Wheat, Maize, Sorghum, Millet), it is possible for one to determine when to fumigate grains because different types of grains mature and are harvested at different times of the year.
4. Another consideration on when to fumigate is based on how long the managers and Jannakill Pest Solution intend to hold the grain.
5. At times the decision to fumigate is also based on whether there are reported upsurges or ‘epidemic’ of new insect infestation either through intrinsic population increase or infestation through the portal ways of import and export which can bring in new grain insects.
6. Generally most grain fumigation occurs post harvest with the subsequent fumigation of the storage areas