Cowpeas worth P15m rot in silo
Mbongeni Mguni | Wednesday May 6, 2026 11:28
The cowpeas were found to be unfit for human or even animal consumption at that time, the Auditor General said.
Cowpeas, like other pulses and grains, require regular rotation or turning to protect their quality and prevent spoilage. The rotation helps prevent moisture build-up, avoid heating, control pests and also prevent caking and compaction where the grains settle and stick together.
However, the near-P15 million worth of cowpeas in storage at Pandamatenga sat for nine years unturned, resulting in a loss to government and, by extension, taxpayers. The Auditor General said the inadequate monitoring and failure to rotate stock in accordance with prescribed procedures had resulted in the loss of economic benefit to the government.
The cowpeas were part of the Strategic Grain Reserve, a stockpile of key grains and pulses held by the BAMB and used as a last resort in times of shortages.