How do I prevent aflatoxin in my stored groundnut so it is not rejected?

Groundnut is one of the crops most prone to aflatoxin, and buyers and exporters test for it strictly, so prevention protects both safety and your price. The mould risk starts in the field and continues in drying and storage. Avoid end-of-season drought stress and damage where you can, and harvest at proper maturity without leaving pods too long in dry soil. After harvest, dry the pods quickly to a safe dry condition before storing; slow drying in humid, heaped conditions is the main cause of contamination. Do not heap freshly dug, moist pods in thick piles overnight. Remove immature, shrivelled, damaged and discoloured pods, because these carry much of the toxin. Store the dried pods in clean, dry, ventilated bags off the ground and away from damp, and keep insects and rats out, since their damage spreads mould. If you shell, keep the kernels equally dry. Never mix a mouldy or musty lot into good produce hoping to hide it, as a test will catch it and downgrade the whole lot. For export or buyer supply, get your sample tested where facilities exist. Confirm safe moisture and testing access with your KVK or the buyer.