Traders selling fake maize seeds arrested in Kericho

Four traders have been arrested for selling fake maize seeds to unsuspecting farmers in Kericho county. 

The crackdown was conducted in Chepseon, Litein , Kapsoit, Kapkatet trading centres, and Kericho town in an ongoing exercise conducted by officers from Kephis, the police and officers from Kericho county government.

 
Some of the unscrupulous traders were caught using red oxide to colour the seeds to hoodwink farmers that they are certified ones while selling fake and inferior seeds. 

Simeon Maina, acting Director of seeds certification and plant variety protection at Kephis said the sale of fake seeds has negatively impacted the government's efforts to raise crop production under the fertilizer subsidy program that kicked off one and a half years ago, to reduce food imports. 

According to the KEPHIS officials, some of the traders arrested were found selling seeds in the open market that were not packaged and did not have a Kephis sticker as required. 

Maina told journalists during a briefing in Kericho town on Thursday that the traders who were operating agrovets did not have a Kephis licence that is renewed yearly. 

He said the crackdown on seeds merchants and agrovets is being conducted in all 47 counties to ensure that farmers have access to clean certified seeds to spur production and cushion them against losses and curb the spread of pests and diseases.