Onset of rains floods market with poor quality farm inputs

• Greedy traders take advantage of season to sell counterfeit materials to farmers

With the beginning of the much-anticipated rainfall, two groups of individuals are each out to make a killing.

On one side is the farmer whose fortunes dried out with the harsh weather conditions but who now wants to recoup his losses.

To do this the grower must buy a number of farm inputs for his venture.

But on the other hand, are producers of counterfeits who are counting on gullible farmers to also rake in huge amounts.

Though it is neither a Kenyan only problem nor unique to agribusiness, its impact is far reaching as agriculture has an overall 53 per cent contribution to the country’s economy in Gross Domestic Product, employment and foreign exchange.

Counterfeit seeds, chemicals and fertilisers and limited mechanisation of farms, fragmented markets and poor infrastructure are greatly to blame for the poor performance of the agricultural sector.

Existing laws

According to Assistant Minister for Agriculture Gideon Ndambuki, the problem can be greatly attributed to existing laws that do not clearly spell out the penalties for those caught imitating or distributing fake farm products.

“Counterfeit farm inputs in Kenya have been known to exist for the longest time. Walk into any agro-chemical shop in search of a certain seed or farm input, if the price is too high, the shop owner will tell you of yet another option that works just the same but comes cheaper than the one requested.”

“The shop owner will be quick to tell you how there is no difference as the seeds are the same; just the manufacturing companies are different,” he says. Despite these dealers being out in the open, nothing much has been done.

Strong support

However, Mr Ndambuki says this will soon change with the expected passing of the Anti-counterfeit Bill that is still in Parliament. He said his ministry strongly supports it.

“We, however, strongly believe and are grateful with the measurements that the government has put in to place an Anti-counterfeit Bill that will enable the agribusiness sector to continue to drive the economy,” he said.

The Assistant minister spoke on the sidelines of an event organised by agro-products manufacturer, Farmchem, to unveil new packaging for their products in an attempt to protect its turf.

During the event the company’s managing director Charles Mulinge said counterfeiting of farm inputs such as seeds and chemicals has continuously exposed farmers to low yields and crop failure leading to food insecurity.