State to undertake major crackdown on fake pesticides
By Dorcas Mbatia, November 25, 2024
Agriculture Principal Secretary Dr Paul Kiprono Rono has announced a national crackdown on fake agrochemicals which he termed as poisonous and dangerous to human consumption .
Speaking when he toured Meru county over the weekend, Rono said the chemicals are rampant adding they have partnered with Pesticides Control Products Board (PCPD) to ensure the market is free from harmful chemical and farm inputs which are sold to unsuspecting farmers .
Addressing farmers at Githongo Tea factory in Imenti central, the Ps noted so far the government has arrested about 50 suspected culprits found manufacturing and producing fake agrochemicals in the country .
“Our major concern is not only fighting fake fertilizer and seeds sold in the country but also poisonous preservation and farming chemicals used in foods in the supermarket and open air markets because this is contributing to many deaths in the country,” said Rono.
He at the same time warned farmers to be vigilant when purchasing these products and report any company or individual selling harmful pestsides and other inputs.
“We must help the government unearth their hideouts by volunteering information because a team of experts from the ministry and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) are out there working around the clock to investigate and arrest all the criminals doing the illegal business ,”he added.
He added the operation, also targets pesticides sold in open air markets through hawking adding the quality of pesticides sold in this manner cannot be guaranteed and they pose a risk to the public and the environment.
“It has been discovered that some of these preservative chemicals used on food in the markets are highly hazardous and kill people slowly without knowing they predispose serious disease which cause death . that why we have prioritized this war and we must win it because we don’t care the social status of a person but whoever is found guilty must face the full force of the law,” warned the PS