The National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC) has raided several markets in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), confiscating fake seeds hidden in different forms for sale to unsuspecting farmers.
The Council said it confiscated rice paddies, sesame seeds, soybeans, maize and other expired seeds that were being sold to farmers.
NASC Director General, Dr. Philip Ojo said the Council had done sensitization on the effects of fake and adulterated seeds to government’s efforts to food security in the country.
Ojo noted that the raids that will be carried out nationwide, is due to the increasing activities of fake seeds merchants, who are determined to undermine farmer’s productive and measures to achieve sustainable food security.
Ojo said: “The Director of Seeds Inspectorate had already told me that he has done the needful in terms of survelliance sensitization of the public, and the next thing is the raid to rid the market of fake seeds because farmers must have the best benefit for us to have flood security in this country.
“The raid is an on going process, we will do it in all the states and regions. It is not about FCT but the whole country. We want to rid the whole country of adulterated seeds.”
Also speaking, NASC Director of Seeds Inspectorate, Agboola Adebayo, stated that fake seeds were confiscated without arresting the seller’s, because the first step required by the law was to rid the markets of fake seeds.