FG Reads Riot Act to Fertilizer Producers, Seals Illegal Fertilizer Plants

Gilbert Ekugbe

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), has sounded a note of warning to fertilizer producers and suppliers in the country to ensure that only quality and certified fertilizers are used in the country.

In furtherance of this warning, the FMARD has also clamped down on unscrupulous individuals dealing in the production of adulterated fertilizers in Kano State recently.

A team from the ministry, which was led by the Director, Farm Input Support Services Department (FISSD), Mr. Kwaido Sanni, along with members of the police and DSS, embarked on the sealing of these illegal outfits in Kano State.

The two days enforcement exercise, which took place in various local government areas of Kano State, was in fulfillment of the National Fertilizer Quality Control Regulations of 2020, Section 43, Subsection 1 of the constitution, which empowered FISSD to execute stop sale order on companies that indulged in sharp practices in the fertilizer sub- sector.

Sanni stated that the National Fertilizer Quality Control Act 2019 and Regulations 2020 would ensure that any individual doing the business must register with the FISSD of the ministry while also possessing the requisite facilities to operate in the sector.

He maintained that most of the fertilizer companies are shying away from certification because they are not qualified to operate in the industry, saying that these was why the ministry had to clamp down on these companies to prevent the adulterated fertilizers from getting to the unsuspecting consumers.

The director warned those in the illegal business to stop their nefarious acts or face the wrath of the law.

In his remarks during the inspection, the Fertilizer Quality Control Officer, Mr. Sunday Oke, observed the prevalence of adulterated/fake fertilizer in the state and pointed out that samples of the fertilizer would be collected and taken to Abuja for laboratory analysis to confirm compliance with the guaranteed analysis.

Oke pointed out that if any individual wants to do business in the fertilizer sector, the individual must be registered under FISSD, adding that it is in that light, the department constituted the Joint Taskforce team to go out and look at various fertilizers producers shops to find out if they producing fake/ adulterated fertilizers.

He said: “This is a field operation, not targeted at arresting people unnecessarily but to try as much as possible to get the operators to comply with the provision of the law to enable them go back to their normal business.”

During the course of the inspection, the leader of Yandusa Market, Kano, Mr. Shehu Akarami, said he had been into the fertilizer business for 40 years and  needs the Federal Government’s support in the area of grants to boost his business.