Fatima Muraina

In a bid to extend the value chain from production to processing, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has presented three solar dryers to farmers groups in Ondo state.
The state Coordinators of the federal Ministry of agriculture and rural development, Mr Tony Otuonye made this known at the offical handing over of the dryers to the Ondo state Agricultural Commodities Association OSACA yesterday in Akure.
Otuonye said the initiative will increase farmers income and chances of making profit to reduce the risks of spoiling, glut or damages that may have come as a result of weather conditions and bad management.
Otuonye who observed the major problem of farmers to storage which is facilitated through drying, said the solar dryer is very effective for vegetable , tomatoes, onions and all other forms of crops that could be dried to preserve them.
” Functional name is Solar Dryer, but made for vegetable drying though could be used to dry many other things. Herbalist can use it to dry herbs, food processors can use it to dry eggs into powdered form and so on.’
” With this, you can grind your tomatoe to powdered form or even a paste that can be preserved and shape life of that producer”.
Reacting , the state chairman of OSACA, Mr Gbenga Obaweya appreciated the federal government’s gesture saying they have being looking forward for value addition and believe it will be a good equipment for vegetable, tomatoe, fish and many other type of crop for farmers and many associations.
Obaweya who spoke through his vice chairman , (Women), Mrs Oluwarotimi Olatoye assured on the full utilization of the equipment which she said will be put in a processing room for members to have access to it.