Adulterated fertiliser

[Josh123]

Adulterated fertiliser


Adulterated fertiliser threatens Nigeria’s food security

Nigeria quest for food security is under threats as farmers continue to record failed crop due to the use of adulterated and fake fertilisers that lacks the required nutrients needed by crops.
Reports from Cross River, Kaduna and Anambra states say farmers are experiencing damaged on the crops caused by the use of adulterated and fake fertilisers distributed by some agro dealers during the planting season, BusinessDay learnt.
This is coming on the heels of the Federal Government’s inability to force down the prices of fertiliser since January which it pegged at N5, 000 per bag. The Federal Government slashed the price of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium (NPK) fertiliser to N5, 000 per bag to encourage farmers to boost agricultural production in the country.
In spite of this, a 50kg bag of NPK fertiliser is currently being sold at N9,500 in the open market, while Urea is sold at N10,000.
“Farmers are complaining of failed crop as a result of adulterated fertilisers available in the market. Part of the problem while we have not boosted production in some key crops is on the account of failed crops as a result of low quality fertilisers in the market,” said Richard Mbaram, director general, Feed Nigeria Summit Secretariat.
“We are calling on all relevant authorities concern to look at the quality of fertilisers available in the market,” Mbaram said.
He stated that such practices in the fertiliser and pesticide industry puts the government quest for food security in peril, noting that unregulated components mixed with the fertilisers can cause long-term effects to the quality of soil.
According to him, fertiliser is vitamins for soil and consists of three main types, nitrogen, potash and phosphate. He urged the government to have a clear cut approach that is tested and should be the basis for distributing fertilisers to farmers and also revive the Growth Enhancement Support (GES) to cushion losses caused by use of sub-standard fertiliser.
Ahmed Rabiu Kwa, executive secretary, Fertilisers Producers and Suppliers Association of Nigeria (FEPSAN) said “We are aware that fertilisers are being adulterated just like you have fake in other products in the country.”
“This is because there is no fertiliser law to protect farmers in the country. The law will make it easy to punish people or organisations found guilty of such act,” Kwa said.
Recently in Anambra State, the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanization, Processing and Export had raised alarm over the circulation of uncertified agricultural inputs, mostly fertilisers, allegedly brought into the state by unscrupulous individuals.
It listed the fake agricultural inputs to include substandard fertilizers, rice seedlings and insecticides, according to a wire report.
The ministry warned farmers in the state, registered cooperative societies and others associated with the agricultural value chain against the purchase and usage of such fake inputs.

https://www.businessdayonline.com/adult ... -security/

[Achi]

How can we tell the fake from the real one?

[MustyJ]

It is an organised crime

Security discovers fake fertilizer factory in Kaduna

An illegal factory where fake and adulterated fertilizers were being manufactured has been discovered in Kaduna State.

Operators of the factory were caught producing counterfeit fertilizers and packaging it with the Federal Government logo, to sell as the product of Presidential Fertilizer Initiative.

The factory was discovered by Operation Yaki Surveillance Patrol Teams at Dala village, via Gwargwaji, along the Zaria- Birnin Gwari Road.

The Operation Yaki Surveillance Patrol Teams in a joint operation with the Zaria Police Area Command said it made the discovery at about 10:00 p.m. on Wednesday, following a tipoff.


A​ statement issued on Thursday by the Special Assistant to Governor Nasir El-Rufai on Media and Publicity, Mr. Samuel Aruwan, said “immediately, a team of detectives from Operation Yaki Surveillance Patrol Teams and the Zaria Police Area Command led by Insp. Saleh Yakubu stormed the illegal factory at Dala village, three principal suspects were arrested namely – Mohammed Lawal Ashiru alias Baba Karami, Amadu Bello Suleiman and Anas Suleiman.

“Exhibits recovered during the raid include a mixing/sealing machine, 226 bags of pure Indorama Urea Fertilizer and 375 bags of adulterated fertilizer with the label FGN Presidential Fertilizer Initiative carrying the logo of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

“​Others are 450 empty bags with the same logo, some reasonable quantity of sand used in the adulteration process. Meanwhile, the suspects and the items recovered were handed over to the Zaria Area Police Command for further investigation. The suspects are currently assisting with investigations towards tracing more illegal factories and arresting the manufacturers while investigation into the criminal profiles of the suspects is in progress for possible prosecution,” the statement said
https://www.google.com.ng/amp/thenation ... aduna/amp/

[MustyJ]

Now in yobe state

IGP Cautions On Fake Fertiliser Circulation In Yobe


The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Komptu Idris have been called upon to intervene and bring to an end the menace of fake fertiliser sales and circulation in Yobe State by some unpatriotic citizens.

Sparking to journalists in his office, the Yobe State chairman of Fertiliser Sales Association, Potiskum branch, Alhaji Ali Maitaki.

According to him “On Sunday 16th July, 2017, our members and customers reported to us the advertisement and circulation of a federal government impersonated fertiliser labelled N5,500 with inscription FGN Agro and code of arm sold out at one store along Ibrahim Alkali Avenue in Potiskum town,

He added that, “We rushed to the store and confirmed that it is true, picked some samples for analysis and confirmed it is fake, it was filled with sand, we summoned Exco meeting and resolved to report the case to Potiskum Police Divisional Office, the suspects were arrested, we were asked to come back on Monday, 17th July 2017.

According to him, “When we resumed on Monday morning, we met the police writing the statement from the suspects, they told the police that they have remaining unsold 460 bags in their store, we informed the Police that despite the arrest, the sale is ongoing at the store, but the police assured us that it will stop.

“We, therefore, want to use this medium to appeal to the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim K. Idriss to come to our aid by directing the proper investigation of the matter and bringing the culprits to book.

“We are aware of the honesty and transparency of the IGP in ensuring that justice takes it’s course in the Nigeria Police.

“We would not fold our alms to allow saboteurs of President Muhammad Buhari to impersonate federal government fertilizer and cheat our farmers, we would not remain silent and compromise justice.”

He further revealed “That the suspects connived with some FG officials and used their store to carry out their business.”

http://leadership.ng/2017/07/22/igp-cau ... tion-yobe/

[MustyJ]

How can we tell the fake from the real one?

See what I found, it might help

5 simple method to identify genuine and fake fertilizer


current fertilizer market conditions remain good and bad, and how to use the most convenient way to identify the quality of the fertilizer, how to deal if you buy inferior fertilizer? Provincial Quality Supervision Bureau experts today introduced several simple method to identify true and false Fertilizer: see, touch, smell, burning, melting. First, look, first look at the fertilizer packaging ...

First, look, first look at the packaging of fertilizers, manure regular manufacturers packaging specifications, clear, strong, generally marked with a production license, performance standards, registration permits, product names, nutrient content or grade, weight, name , address, etc., fake fertilizer packaging is generally rough, unclear identification information on bags; followed to see the strength and fertilizer crystalline state, even the regular manufacturers of fertilizer granules, smooth surface, fake fertilizer humidity, easy to knot block; Then look fertilizers colors, different fertilizers have some unique colors, such as lime nitrogen in addition to nitrogen, the other all white, slightly brown and pale yellow.

Second ,touch, such as DAP, grab a hold of fertilizers hard times, the "oil-wet" feeling mostly authentic feel dry probably fake.

Third, the smell, the smell of ammonium bicarbonate, ammonium sulfate sour taste, fake fertilizer smell is not obvious.

Four is burning, the sample is heated or burning fertilizer, nitrogen fertilizer will burn white smoke, ammonia odor; phosphate did not change much after burning; potash have crackling sound.

Five is dissolved, most fertilizers on the water, can be well dissolved.

Of course, these are simple identification methods, the most formal, to identify the most effective way is to have a fertilizer test samples sent to a qualified inspection agency. If you suspect that a friend of farmers to buy fertilizers are fake and shoddy products, you can call the hotline 12365 to report. Provincial Quality Supervision Bureau also reminded farmers and friends, try to go to a regular store to buy the product shelf life, and ask for an invoice, retained samples.

http://jtdadi.com/html/en/index.php?ac= ... ead&did=39

[bonama]

Musty, create a new post on testing fertilizer so that it would enjoy more visibility. It is an important information.

I sent you a pm you didn't respond

[Achi]

Great post Musty!