Farmers and the public have been urged to buy pesticides and fertilizers from licensed and approved input dealers and companies to guarantee their safety and ensure food security.
CropLife Ghana, a non-profit organisation representing the crop protection industry in the country, who made the call, also appealed to farmers and the public to seek proper education on pesticides and fertilizers before, during and after using them to help reduce the negative effects or health implications on society.
This was in a statement issued by CropLife Ghana and signed by Mr Kadiri Rashad, the Programme Manager, and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Tamale on Thursday.
The statement said, “Counterfeiting is a dangerous and growing problem for all industries, including the plant science industry. Counterfeiting of plant science products brings a range of negative effects for the industry, farmers and the environment.”
It said, “The proliferation of counterfeits and illegal pesticides and fertilizers in Ghanaian agriculture markets has remained a major challenge affecting farmers, CropLife Ghana member companies, food security and the environment at large.”
It said, “As we approach the farming season, CropLife Ghana continues to raise awareness of farmers and the general public on the effects of buying counterfeit and illegal pesticides and fertilizers from unlicensed and unapproved input dealers and companies.”
The statement appealed to relevant institutions such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the security agencies, among others that monitored activities at various border posts, to up their game to combat the canker of counterfeiting in the country.
It urged the citizenry to report cases of counterfeiting or persons involved in the unlawful act for prosecution.
It assured that “CropLife Ghana and its member companies, in the interest of the country, will always ensure that farmers get the best products and inputs in the agricultural sector to serve the general public.”
CropLife Ghana is an association of agrochemical importers and distributors in the country and it is affiliated with CropLife Africa Middle East and CropLife International.
By Albert Futukpor, GNA
