70 NCPB grain stores abandoned since early 1980s

Some 70 grain storage facilities have been sitting idle at National Cereals and Produce Board depots since the early 1980s.

According to information from NCPB, the grain storage technology is old and obsolete and is believed to have originated from Cyprus.

There are 30 such stores in Nakuru and 40 in Kitale.

NCPB corporate communications officer Titus Maiyo said the bins found in Kitale depot and Nakuru silos have an underground storage capacity and were designed to be airtight and waterproof.

“They are not supposed to allow air or water inside. They were constructed in 1967 but last used in the early 1980s,” he said.

Maiyo said each of the stores was designed to store 15,000 90kg bags of maize. They are 40 feet deep and cone-shaped.

He said the bins were abandoned because they developed cracks which allowed water to seep in, damaging grain. This, he said, defeated the purpose for which they were designed.

“Repairs were not successful and because of that they were abandoned after they were found to be unsuitable for grain storage. The grain became exposed to the elements the structures were supposed to protect them from. Quality of grains was therefore affected,” Maiyo said.

Later, better grain storage facilities in form of silos were introduced in Kenya. The new technology proved to be more effective and superior due to automation.

“It is easy to load and offload maize using the new technology and to control the temperature. They also come with attached driers for drying grain.

Edited by Henry Makori