Wheat, barley side marketing criminalised

Farmers can only sell their wheat or barley to either the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) or companies they have standing agreements with, as side marketing the crops is illegal, Government has said.

Statutory Instrument (SI) 188 of 2021 (Grain Marketing Control of Sale) gazetted Tuesday makes it illegal to sell wheat to unauthorised dealers.

"No person or statutory body or company or entity under a contractual obligation to sell to a contractor or to the Grain Marketing Board or any authorised agency shall sell or otherwise dispose of any wheat or barley except to such contractor or to the Grain Marketing Board or any authorised agency," reads the SI.

It is now illegal for anyone to buy wheat or barley from farmers who have a contractual agreement with another company.

Selling inputs on the black market has also been outlawed.

"No person shall use or dispose of wheat or barley seed acquired through the Government otherwise than for such purpose except with the written permission of the Government," the SI adds.

The law empowers law enforcement agencies and authorised GMB officials to seize grain they believe would be transported for purposes of side marketing.

Exports of the said grains are now prohibited until further communication by way of a Government gazette notice.