The Seed Control and Certification Institute of Zambia (SCCI) has expressed happiness with the reduction of fake seed being sold on the Zambian market.
The institute has confirmed that a reduction in the sale of fake seeds has been recorded in the current planting season, compared to the 2017/2018 farming season.
SCCI Head of Seed Inspection Nathan Phiri attributed the reduction in sale of fake seeds, to the change of labelling and packaging by his firm.
He told ZANIS in an interview that the labelling which was done in the short term, proved difficulties for unscrupulous dealers to come up with counterfeit labels.
Dr. Phiri also cited farmer sensitization on the need to buy seeds from genuine and licensed agro-dealers as among the measures that have proved effective.
“The extent of fake seed in the country greatly reduced in the current season due to the fact that the SCCI changed the type of labelling which was difficult in the short term for the unscrupulous dealers to come up with counterfeit labels,” he said.
“The solution to reduce incidences of farmers buying fake seed, still lies in farmer education, which includes, sensitising them on the need to buy their seeds from genuine and licensed agro-dealers,” he stressed.
During the 2017/2018 Farming season 400 by 10 kilogram bags of fake seeds were sold to unsuspecting farmers in Lundazi district, Eastern Province.
