News / Agriculture
Govt, SEEDCO struggle to protect farmers against counterfeit seeds
1 hr ago |
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HARARE - Leading seed distributor SEEDCO has raised alarm over the rampant sale of counterfeit seeds, warning that despite partnerships with the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) and the Ministry of Agriculture, efforts to curb the illegal trade have been undermined by weak deterrent sentences under the current Seed Act.
Stakeholders at the Zimbabwe Seed Association event held at SEEDCO headquarters called for urgent amendment of the Seed Act to strengthen penalties against offenders.
Edmore Mtetwa, head of the Seed Services Institute (Ministry of Agriculture), said the Attorney General's Office is assisting in reviewing regulations.
"The Ministry is being assisted by the Attorney General's Office in continuously reviewing our regulations (Seed Act), and the issue of penalties is also there," Mtetwa said.
The ZRP has urged farmers to buy only from accredited retailers and report suspicious activities. However, counterfeiters continue to imitate SEEDCO's varieties, threatening food security and farmer livelihoods.
National police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi admitted inconsistencies in prosecution and sentencing of syndicates involved in the scam.
"We can't continue to have this problem year in, year out. We need deterrent sentences - people must go to jail. These criminals are duping innocent farmers and companies are losing revenue," Nyathi said.
He stressed that the police will work closely with the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, and the Attorney General's Office to ensure sentencing structures are reviewed.
SEEDCO has previously suffered losses, including an armed robbery last year, underscoring the sophistication of the syndicates. Counterfeit seeds - often sold at half price - are difficult to distinguish from genuine products, leading to poor crop yields and financial losses across the agricultural sector.
SEEDCO Managing Director Felistus Gurajena noted that while the company has established distribution centres with uniform pricing to help farmers identify genuine products, fraudsters are becoming increasingly clever.
Stakeholders at the Zimbabwe Seed Association event held at SEEDCO headquarters called for urgent amendment of the Seed Act to strengthen penalties against offenders.
Edmore Mtetwa, head of the Seed Services Institute (Ministry of Agriculture), said the Attorney General's Office is assisting in reviewing regulations.
"The Ministry is being assisted by the Attorney General's Office in continuously reviewing our regulations (Seed Act), and the issue of penalties is also there," Mtetwa said.
The ZRP has urged farmers to buy only from accredited retailers and report suspicious activities. However, counterfeiters continue to imitate SEEDCO's varieties, threatening food security and farmer livelihoods.
"We can't continue to have this problem year in, year out. We need deterrent sentences - people must go to jail. These criminals are duping innocent farmers and companies are losing revenue," Nyathi said.
He stressed that the police will work closely with the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, and the Attorney General's Office to ensure sentencing structures are reviewed.
SEEDCO has previously suffered losses, including an armed robbery last year, underscoring the sophistication of the syndicates. Counterfeit seeds - often sold at half price - are difficult to distinguish from genuine products, leading to poor crop yields and financial losses across the agricultural sector.
SEEDCO Managing Director Felistus Gurajena noted that while the company has established distribution centres with uniform pricing to help farmers identify genuine products, fraudsters are becoming increasingly clever.
Source - Byo24News
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