Leading seed house, Seed Co, has teamed up with the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) to flush out bogus agro-dealers capitalising on the ongoing summer season preparations to sell fake seed to unsuspecting farmers.
Seed Co managing director Mrs Felistus Gurajena said the initiative was essential to ensure that farmers had access to safe, high-quality seed, which is crucial for successful crop production.
"By targeting counterfeit seed, we are promoting the overall health of the agricultural ecosystem, as the presence of these products threatens the integrity of the market and poses risks to production safety and sustainability," said Mrs Gurajena.
She added that as the country was pushing to boost agricultural production, use of counterfeit agro-inputs could result in poor crop yields, increased pest problems and financial losses for farmers.
"To guarantee quality of seed, farmers should confirm that their suppliers are officially registered and that their products display the required certification labels," said Mrs Gurajena.
The operation is scheduled to continue until the end of the year in a development that allows law enforcement agents to thoroughly investigate and address the widespread issue of counterfeit seed sales.
By maintaining a sustained presence in various markets and sales venues, the authorities aim to identify and apprehend those responsible for distributing fake seed.
This initiative responds to the growing concern over the proliferation of fake seed in the market, which poses significant risks to both agricultural productivity and the livelihoods of farmers, said Mrs Gurajena.
Counterfeit seed is being sold in various locations, including hardware stores, street corners and open markets. These sales venues are making it easy for unscrupulous vendors to reach unsuspecting consumers
By focusing on individuals and businesses engaged in the sale of fake products, the ZRP aims to safeguard farmers from financial losses and guarantee the availability of authentic seed varieties.
The ZRP is collaborating with agricultural authorities and stakeholders to enhance monitoring and enforcement efforts to ensure that offenders are held accountable.
ZRP spokesperson commissioner Paul Nyathi said they were set to increase monitoring, inspections and surveillance to eradicate fraudsters who sell counterfeit, smuggled, expired and unregistered fertilisers, pesticides and farm feeds.
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"Moving forward, it is crucial to enhance monitoring efforts and ensure that all agro-dealers adhere to established regulations to protect both consumers and the agriculture industry as a whole," said Commissioner Nyathi.
"We applaud Seed Co and their efforts in dealing with bogus agro-dealers who compromise food security," he said. Commissioner Nyathi urged all farmers to remain vigilant and verify the legitimacy of their suppliers.
