The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) has granted certificates and sales permits to about 250 fertilizer operators to regulate production and marketing of adulterated fertilizers for the interests of farmers, protection of the environment and avoidance of food contamination.
The Permanent Secretary, FMARD, Dr. Ernest Umakhihe, at a two-day stakeholders meeting and presentation of certificates and sales of permits to fertilizer operators, in Abuja, disclosed that grace period of two months has been approved for marketers and producers to obtain theirs certificate to prevent prosecution and sealing off of their facilities.
Umakhihe explained that all companies that would operate in fertilizer value chain must be registered to get certificate of registration and sales permit from the Farm Inputs Support Services Department of the Ministry.
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Umakhihe explained that all companies that would operate in fertilizer value chain must fulfill all required conditions to get certificate of registration as fertilizer suppliers, manufacturers/producers, blenders and importers, while Agro-dealers (distributors) that fulfill the same will be issued with the sales permit.
He admonished operators that copies of their certificates and the permits should be displayed at strategic areas of their facilities, adding that Farm Inputs Support Services Department of the Ministry has been authorized to issue out certificate and sales permit.
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The Deputy Director of Farm Inputs Support services department, Ishaq Buba, remarked that national fertilizer quality control act and the regulations that has been pushed for over 25 years, was signed into law by Mr. President in 2019 to ensure that what is being produced or marketed in Nigeria is of required set standards in terms of quantity and quality.
According to Buba, any substandard product that goes to the soil and absorbed by the crop would be harvested with crops which will have negative effect the final consumers and the environment.
