No fewer than four illegal fertiliser blending plants have been sealed off in Kano by Fertiliser Control Office of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture.

The fertiliser blending plants were said to be operating without government approval in Kano State.

A truckload of adulterated fertiliser from one of the plants was confiscated.

The Star learnt that inspectors from the ministry discovered that the plants had been mixing substandard components to produce adulterated fertiliser and sell it to farmers in the state

The sealed plants are Albarka Agor-Allied and Chemical Fertiliser, and Nagarta Agro Fertiliser situated in Kumbotso Local Government Area of Kano State.

The other two plants are Samu Alheri Plant in Jido community in Dawakin Kudu Local Government Area, and one other retail shop in Getso market in Gwarzo Local Government Area of the state.

The Director, Fertiliser Control Office, Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Oke Sunday, said the inspection was necessary to eliminate adulterated fertiliser from getting to farmers and ensure that no fertiliser is produced without government’s approval.

“There is a new law in town called the National Fertiliser Quality Control Act. There are a lot of things specified by the law, that for any individual to do business in the fertiliser sector, he must be registered with the Farm Inputs Support Department.

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“This is a market operation, we are not interested in arresting anybody, our interest is to make people to comply with the provisions of this act,” he said.

Sunday added: “Fertiliser is a very critical input in farm production and the federal government will not tolerate any act sabotaging efforts to ensure food security in the country.

“We have sealed the defaulting shops, and in the process, we told them their offenses and told them not to temper with the evidences until we come back again.

“We have also found huge cache of fertiliser blending raw materials, which are not supposed to be sold in the market.”

According to the director, the defaulting marketers arrested would face the wrath of the law after thorough investigation.

One of the marketers arrested, Khalid Muhammad, denied knowledge of the implication of engaging in the illegal business.

Secretary, Fertiliser Producers and Suppliers Association of Nigeria (FEPSAN), Gideon Negedu, said the sealing is a welcome development as it will help eradicate sub standard and adulterated fertilizers.

“Raw materials for fertiliser blending heavily discounted by President Muhammadu Buhari administration to support authorised producers and benefit Nigerian farmers should not be diverted by unpatriotic elements,” he added.

The Star