FG Moves to Clamp Down on Illegal Fertilizer Manufacturers and Agro-dealers

This article is published by Nairametrics on Sept. 22 , 2020 by Omokolade Ajayi. Read the original article here.

It is now forbidden for anyone to go into fertilizer business in Nigeria, without registering with the FISSD.

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has disclosed that anyone caught producing or merchandising adulterated fertilizers, under the new law, will be jailed.

This disclosure was made via the Ministry's official Twitter handle, to the general public, and seen by Nairametrics.

The announcement notifies the general public that the National Fertilizer Quality Control (NFQC) Act 2019, is to make sure that every farmer has good and efficient fertilizer for their farms, to boost farming harvest and output.

The ministry reiterated that it is forbidden for anyone to go into fertilizer business in Nigeria, without registering with the Farm Inputs Support Services Department (FISSD) of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. However, anyone caught producing or merchandising adulterated fertilizers will be jailed.

This regulation is to address the recurring issues of the effect of substandard fertilizers on farm produce, and the market proliferation of adulterated fertilizers in the country, which continues to bedevil farm outputs and harvests in the country.

Backstory: On the 26th of August, the Permanent Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development,  Dr. Abdulkadir Mu'azu, reaffirmed the Federal Government's commitment towards implementing the National Fertilizer Quality Control (NFQC) Act 2019. He ensured that the fertilizer regulatory system is in place, to safeguard the interest of the farmers, as when the regulation is implemented, it will protect farmers from using adulterated fertilizers that are nutrient deficient. 

Why this matters

This policy is important to safeguard both the interest of the farmers and the members of the public, as the initiative is expected to increase agricultural harvest and productivity, in a bid to make national food security a reality.

The NFQC Act will safeguard interests of fertilizer enterprises, businesses and agro–dealers, as it will create part of the enabling environment for private sector investment in the fertilizer industry, and protect the environment against potential dangers, that may result from market proliferation of adulterated fertilizers and the use of harmful substances in fertilizer.

The Executive Secretary of FEPSAN, Mr. Gideon Negedu, reiterated that the new National Fertilizer Quality Control Act 2019, is a game-changer for the nation's agricultural sector and a powerful weapon for the farmers.

In his view, Prof. Yemi Akinseye–George (SAN), said, "that the Federal Government and relevant stakeholders of the fertilizers industry, have taken the bull by the horn in enacting a robust legal framework for quality control in the country."

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