Harvest and Storage are the two most important activities in maize production. During the major season, the harvesting of maize becomes very vital. Most farmers find it very difficult to combine the harvesting and cultivation of the minor season maize. The continuous rainfall at August makes most harvested maizes spoil or germinate if speedy harvesting isn't done.
Farmers with vast lands suffer from conveying their harvested maize to the storage point. That's why it becomes necessary to adopt early planting to be able to harvest early before the bumper rain begins. When the bumper rain begins and the farmers aren't able to convey the maizes, most of the maizes get spoiled in at the field. In this case, the farmer runs at a lost considering the cost of farm inputs; fertilizers, weedicides, seeds and pesticides. This makes the major season production of maize very difficult.
Farmers are in hurry to grow the minor season maize, so they have to have the dried maize on the field and begin to sow the minor season one. But, those farmers that would prepare a new place for this minor season maize aren't troubled with this problem.
Gathering and conveying the maizes to the storage point is also another difficult task. all the harvested maizes need to be gathered at one place before they are conveyed by truck to the storage place. All these activities need labourers to be able to do. This explains the reason why farming needs a lot of money to be able to work properly.
After the harvested maize has been conveyed to the place where you'll store them, they need to be arranged in the storage room. Some farmers also keep the harvested maizes in the farm making thatch room with grasses, palm branches and ropes. The roof is by using the grasses and they can be covered with the thick rubbers. The stored maizes are disinfected with pesticides. This is to make the maize stored for longer period of time. But, we have variation of chemicals with some lasting for 3 months and others for 6 months.
In most large storage, the maizes are stored and treated in silos. This make the undried maize last longer. But in small scale farming, the storage room have to be made and keep the maize. All the smaller maizes are removed and threshed for consumption.
The lifespan of maize, or corn, in storage can vary depending on various factors such as temperature, moisture content, and storage conditions. Maize can be stored for relatively long periods if proper conditions are maintained. When stored under optimal conditions, maize can last anywhere from 1 to 2 years on average. However, it's important to note that the quality of maize may deteriorate over time due to factors like moisture absorption, insect infestation, and exposure to oxygen. To maximize the shelf life of stored maize, it is essential to store it in a dry and cool environment, with moisture levels below 14% and temperatures not exceeding 15-20 degrees Celsius. Additionally, proper storage techniques like regular monitoring, cleaning, and fumigation can help extend the lifespan and maintain the quality of stored maize.
It's rather advisable to sell the old maize after a year as the new maizes are ready to be stored. The nutrients contents decline as it exceeds more that 2 years in storage.
