It appears that most farmers dispose of their maize as soon as possible after harvest. Usually, harvesting may occur over a 10-14 day period, during which time the maize is bulked up often in moist, if not in wet conditions. This storage period may be longer if the roads are impassable due to heavy rain, or if there is delay with transport or in the arrival of the mechanical sheller. Maize is typically a low input-low output system. About half of the maize crop is stored on farm for at least 60 days-frequently in a moist condition.
Many farmers store temporarily while bulking up enough for sale.
Storage bulking up delays in drying and queuing problems in the merchant sector, together with the humid ambient conditions, create ideal conditions for aflatoxin contamination. It appears that, in general, those involved in the marketing and utilisation of maize in Thailand are generally aware of the problem of aflatoxin. Following the above, the Thai-British Project for the control of aflatoxin in maize was established in 1984 to investigate the incidence of aflatoxin in Thai maize and to determine whether its level can be controlled by effective drying. Also the Thai team comprised of officers and technicians from the Department of Agriculture, Office of Agricultural Economics, Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Co-operatives and some private sector in the upcountry rural areas. After Phase III is completed it indicated that the combined effort of the Thai Government, the maize industry and the participants of this project have been successful in demonstrating an effective method of aflatoxin control.