The Ministry of Agriculture (MINAGRI) has warned that it will take strong action against unscrupulous agro-dealers operating in the country.

Emmanuel Ngomiraronka, a consultant with a fertiliser programme at the Ministry of Agriculture, said this while addressing veterinary doctors, agro-dealers and local leaders in Kayonza District on Friday.

Ngomiraronka said the spread of counterfeit fertilisers that contain dangerous toxic substances was one of the biggest dangers threatening agriculture in the country, and its delicate ecosystem.

"There are issues in labeling, packaging, advertising, of fertilisers in the country. All fertilisers must bear certified labels and the address of manufacturer, make and expiry date, percentage of ingredients, kilogrammes. All these must be genuine, we have the capacity to prove the authenticity of whatever is claimed,” he said.

Ngomiraronka decried cases where farmers were cheated on number of kilogrammes and type of nutrients contained in given packages.

"Most of the illegal fertilisers carry the names of famous companies with the same packaging design, to deceive naive farmers. Unfortunately, farmers as final consumers have been victims, as such wrong components destroy their plants. You find 45 kilogrammes in a package labelled 50 kilogrammes or urea when it is NPK, this is sheer fraud,” he said.

Currently, the fertilisers being used in the country include NPK, DAP and urea.

Law on sale of vet medicines

Ngomiraronka said a law would soon be in place to restrict businesspersons involved in selling veterinary medicines.

"We are talking of quality medicine and fertilisers, but, unfortunately, the business is done in a haphazard manner. Mixing vet medicine with food and beverages is dangerous. We will close such shops and punish the owners. Only qualified persons will be allowed to sell vet medicines,” he said.

The coordinator of crop protection unit at Minagri, Egide Gatari, reiterated the need to protect farmers against unscrupulous agro-dealers and businesspersons.

Gatari said such dishonest factory owners make huge profits using cheap materials to produce fertilisers, and then sell them expensively.

"The government is taking strong measures. We are going around the country creating awareness, which will be followed by tough punishments,” he said.

Meanwhile, Kayonza mayor John Mugabo urged famers to embrace modern farming practices, noting that fertilisers increase productivity.

"It’s high time all farmers started using fertilisers, we can’t afford to keep the traditional way of farming. Our population continues to grow whereas the size of the land remains the same. So we need to utilise the small land in a scientific way; it is the only way to increase our income,” he said.

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