Tharaka Nithi governor Muthomi Njuki has warned farmers to refrain from buying cheap counterfeit fertilizers that could destroy the quality of seeds.
Speaking while distributing free certified seeds at Mukuuni cereals stores in Magumoni ward, the governor said that the government offers high quality subsidized fertilizers to farmers at affordable cost.
He assured that the fertilizer from the Ministry of Agriculture has been inspected and was of high quality adding that farmers should purchase fertilizers with the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) mark.
Njuki expressed that malicious people selling cheap counterfeit fertilizer to farmers would in turn destroy the quality of seeds and crops.
“There are people selling fake fertilizers with added stones and color that is cheaper than one supplied by the government that is fake and will destroy quality of crops, farmers should desist from buying them,” he said while assuring farmers that the fertilizers in the county’s cereals stores are good.
Njuki said that anyone selling fertilizers must register with the Ministry of Agriculture for inspection to certify that it was of good quality.
The governor has so far distributed certified seeds in Magumoni ward, Karingani ward, Mugwe ward, Muthambi ward to boost productivity in the county.
By Sharon Gitau
