Online Reporter
Edgar Vhera, Specialist Writer – Agribusiness
A whole-of-Government approach is being pursued to curtail the smuggling of illegal and unregistered agro-inputs and the distribution of fake and expired products in a nationwide crackdown ahead of the upcoming summer season.
This preventive measure is aimed at improving agricultural productivity and protecting farmers’ money as they jostle to procure inputs ahead of the normal to above normal season.
Fertiliser, Farm Seed and Remedies Institute (FFSRI) acting head, Mrs Charity Kunaka, said they had several relevant arms of Government, including the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) and the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra), to block illegal agro-chemical imports.
“Apart from border post exercises, we are also inspecting all agro-dealer shops and removing unregistered products. Any dealer caught selling illegal and expired products will lose their licences,” she warned.
This notice comes against the backdrop of concerns raised by some farmers that there was a proliferation of WhatsApp groups where fly-by-night agro-input stockists were advertising their products, many of which prospective farmers are questioning their authenticity.
“We are deploying teams nationwide, who are monitoring the registration and sale of agro-inputs.
“The nationwide joint patrol of police and inspectors will start from October 7 to January 23 next year,” she revealed.
Crop chemicals manufacturers attending the recently held cotton indaba in Kwekwe expressed concern about the risk of losing US$22 million worth of cotton inputs business if farmers abuse registered inputs, use unregistered chemicals and do not abide by acaricide rotation by regions in the 2025/26 agriculture season.
Mrs Kunaka said her organisation was speeding up the registration of approved cotton pesticides so that farmers have safe options, while Agritex will share the updated list of registered products soon.
“We are conducting awareness campaigns in all cotton areas, educating farmers on the dangers of resistance and how to choose legal products.
“We are also training lead farmers and agro-dealers on safe use, resistance management and reading labels,” she added.
Plant Protection Research Institute (PPRI), Cotton Research Institute (CRI), Plant Quarantine Services Institute (PQSI) and FFSRI are on the ground collecting field samples and testing them to track resistance levels.
“We are also working with other research stations to guide farmers on rotating pesticides and using integrated pest management (IPM),” she added.
Mrs Kunaka highlighted that resistance of pests and diseases arises from multiple factors, particularly farmer practices such as under- or over-applying pesticides, not following recommended rates, continued use of the same pesticide on the same field, same mode of action without rotations and improper use of pesticides (using pesticides not recommended for certain crops.
The licensing and monitoring of fertilisers and feeds fall under the FFSRI, a department within the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development.
Mrs Kunaka warned farmers to buy only registered fertilisers and chemicals from reputable suppliers and retail shops that should display a copy of the registration certificate in their shops or warehouses.
“A registered fertiliser should be sold in a sealed, clearly and legibly labelled packaging. The labels should be written in English or the local language and should bear the brand name of the product, name, address, and contact details of the local manufacturer or distributor.
“In addition, nutrient composition should be written on the package or label with directions for use, safety precautions and net weight of the product,” she elaborated.
For the product to be easily traceable, the label should contain information on date of manufacture, batch number, expiry date and should bear a registration number.
Statutory Instrument (SI) 14A of 2023 imposes between US$5 and US$300 penalty fees for level one six offences to counteract the smuggling into the country of banned chemicals and fertilisers.
Zimbabwe’s agricultural sector is facing a significant threat from the proliferation of fake and counterfeit agrochemicals.
From dubious seeds to ineffective pesticides and substandard fertilisers, these illicit products are causing devastating crop failures, severe economic losses for farmers and posing grave risks to human health and the environment.
Farmers, particularly smallholders, are increasingly falling victim to unscrupulous dealers selling these counterfeit products, often at seemingly attractive lower prices. These fake agrochemicals are cleverly packaged to mimic genuine brands, making it difficult for unsuspecting farmers to differentiate between legitimate and illicit products.
