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Yao K also had to pay dearly for this The small-scale farmer in South Togo bought insecticides from a dealer at the market Afterwards, he divided his maize into two stores, one for his own consumption during the next three to four months, and one for long term storage He only treated the latter store with the insecticide as recommended by the Togo plant protection service.
Dividing the harvested produce means more economical use of insecticides.
An inspection of the storage six months later, however, showed disastrous results. The "new one", as farmers in Togo call the Larger Grain Borer, had caused substantial damage More than half of the maize grains treated with the insecticide was inedible: it consisted virtually of shells which had been hollowed out and lots of white hour, nothing more.