Distributors of agrochemical products have teamed up with manufacturers and the security agencies to stamp out faking and counterfeiting of fertilizer products.

The measure is to protect unsuspecting Ghanaian farmers against imitated products of Yara Ghana, a leading producer and distributor of mineral fertilizer.

According to Ernest Appiah, Managing Director of Enepa Agro-Chemical Limited, major distributor of fertilizer products, the exercise is aimed at protecting farmers against the negative effects of patronizing fake products.

He told Luv Biz Report farmers need to have value for money spent on purchasing fertilizer for their crops, hence the institution of a certification scheme for retailers of Yara fertilizer products.

“If you’re a retailer and you don’t have the Yara certificate and you’re selling the product, it means you’re faking the product to the farmer and we will not allow it to happen…Our responsibility is that we need to protect our name, our brand and our product, which is Yara and Enepa fertilizers”, stated Mr. Appiah.

He said a team of security personnel undertakes routine checks on retailers of fertilizer products to rid the market of fake products.

He has therefore enjoined retailers to seek the requisite certification to trade in agrochemicals.

Story by Kofi Adu Domfeh