Aflatoxin infestation in groundnut as influenced by different storage methods in Northern Ghana

About 90% of the world groundnut crop is produced in developing countries including Ghana and 67% of this quantity produced is used for oil. This therefore makes groundnut the second most important source of vegetable oil after soyabean. In order to determine the best method/structure to store groundnut that will reduce the chances of aflatoxin and other infestations by insects, KDC found it necessary to assemble all known methods or structures currently practiced by farmers in the study districts. These were then used to store the crop for 6 months including the scientifically proven method such as use of triple bagging.

The objective of this study was to determine and select the method/structure of groundnut storage that would reduce aflatoxin infestation to the generally acceptable levels in groundnuts after some months of storage for adoption by farmers.