By Lamin Fatty
The Regional Director of Agriculture in the Upper River Region (URR), Samba John, has urged farmers to exercise caution in harvesting groundnuts as intermittent rains continue in October.
Speaking to Foroyaa at his office in Basse, Director John advised farmers who have already begun harvesting to adopt best practices that prevent moisture absorption and mold contamination.
His warning comes as some farmers in parts of Wulli West, including Kolibantang and Madina Koto, have started harvesting despite the ongoing rains.
Wurry, a farmer from Madina Koto, said she could not delay any further because her groundnuts had fully matured. “My groundnut is ripe and ready for harvest. If I wait for the rains to stop completely, the nuts may start germinating again,” she said.
Another farmer explained that the wet soil made harvesting easier. “We started uprooting because the soil is still moist, which makes the work easier,” she said.
In response, Director John advised that farmers who proceed with harvesting should turn the uprooted plants upside down, with the nuts facing upwards and the leaves underneath, to minimize moisture absorption.
“If farmers want to start uprooting, they should turn the harvested crops upside down so the nuts face up. This helps prevent excessive moisture that could cause mold,” he explained.
He warned against heaping harvested groundnuts together, saying it traps moisture and accelerates mold growth. “The more you make heaps, the more the nuts absorb moisture, and that encourages mold,” he said.
Director John further advised farmers to delay harvesting until the end of the rainy season if possible, especially those intending to preserve their nuts for seed. “The best option is to wait until the rain stops completely. We expect the rains to continue until around the 24th of October,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Regional Meteorological Officer in Basse, Momodou Sowe, confirmed that this year’s rainy season is expected to end around October 26.
“We are advising farmers that the rains will likely cease around the 26th of this month — just about ten days from now,” Mr. Sowe said.
He also cautioned that groundnuts and other crops such as millet must be properly dried and spread out after harvest to avoid fungal infections. “If not properly dried, the crops can develop fungus, which may cause diseases like salmonella,” Sowe warned.
Both the Agriculture Department and the Meteorological Office continue to monitor conditions and advise farmers to balance timely harvesting with proper drying to maintain crop quality and seed viability.
