FG goes tough on illegal fertilizer manufacturers

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, says anyone caught producing or merchandising adulterated fertilizers, under the new National Fertilizer Quality Control (NFQC) Act 2019, will be jailed.

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.

It would be recalled that the Permanent Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Abdulkadir Mu’azu had on the 26th of August, 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.

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.

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.

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