KEPHIS to deal firmly with sellers of fake seeds to farmers

 

The Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service{KEPHIS} Board of Directors Chairman Hon. M'eruaki M'uthari address the press in Kisumu. With him is the Kephis Managing Director Prof. Theophilus Mutui{on his right hand}-Story and Photo By Dickson Odhiambo

By Dickson Odhiambo

 

December 20, 2023

 

KEPHIS to deal firmly with sellers of fake seeds to farmers

 

Those selling fake Seeds to farmers across the country will be dealt with in accordance to the law, an organization has vowed.

 

The Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service{KEPHIS} says there has been a serious problem of selling fake seeds to farmers across the country.

 

The Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service Managing Director Prof Theophilus Mutui says currently inspectors from Kephis are going round the country to deal with the menace of selling fake seeds to farmers across the country.

 

Addressing the press in Kisumu after a meeting with Kephis Board Members, the Managing Director said anyone who will be found selling fake seeds will be arrested and arraigned in court.

 

He urges farmers to purchase seeds only in registered agrovets across the country, adding that some farmers are fond of buying grains directly from the open air markets and this is not a good practice at all.

 

“Make sure you only buy seeds in registered agrovets by Kephis and ensure you are given a receipt and have a seed label from Kephis,” Prof Mutui says.

 

He furthers urges members of the public to report to them anyone engaging in the sale of fake seeds so that appropriate action be taken against them immediately.

 

The Kephis Managing Director adds that it has been able to come up with drought tolerant crops that can also withstand the diseases.

 

He further says that Kephis has another mandate to support and enforce  food safety measures across the country.

 

“We normally move to supermarkets and other open markets to buy samples of maize, Tomatoes and kales and analyse for presence of unregistered pesticides and check for pesticides residues,” he further says.

 

The Managing Director further says that some of the produced have those pesticides and have written a brief to the Cabinet Secretary in charge of Agriculture to be able to take action so that the imports of those unlicensed pesticides do not occur in the country.