Business NewsFront Page

Agro-dealers asked to provide quality seeds

Demeter Agriculture Limited (DAL) has asked agro-dealers to provide farmers with quality seeds to prevent influx of counterfeit seeds on the Malawian market.

DAL national sales manager Benson Banda made the appeal in Lilongwe on Wednesday during a training session for Central Region-based agro-dealers.

Malawi legumes have a huge market in India

Banda said: “Agro-dealers are frontliners in the field of agriculture. Training them is crucial because they need to understand that apart from them being in business, they have the obligation to provide the farmers with quality seeds.”

He said the Ministry of Agriculture has introduced scratch card labels as another way of certifying seeds to combat counterfeit seeds.

Dedza-based agro-dealer, Chiko Chikacha, of Chikacha Agro-dealers said circulation of counterfeit seeds can be stopped if agro-dealers are provided with quality seeds.

He appealed to fellow agro-dealers not to supply farmers with counterfeit seeds.

Demeter is expected to train at least 350 agro-dealers in storage of seeds and identification of counterfeit seeds.

Related Articles

Back to top button