By Authorities from the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, in collaboration with the Agricultural Police Unit and the Anti-Counterfeit Network, have arrested a top agro-input dealer in Container Village for allegedly selling counterfeit agricultural products worth over Shs50 million.
The suspect, identified as Kato the owner of St Jude farm supply and the chairperson of the agri-input dealers in Container Village, was apprehended following a tip-off about fake seeds, fertilisers, and chemicals being sold at his shop.
Speaking at the scene, Charles Sendaza, an Agriculture Inspector in the Department of Crop Inspection and Certification, said the raid uncovered a variety of counterfeit products, including fake seeds, green organic manure, ametrine, and branded agro-chemicals fraudulently packaged to resemble genuine products from established companies.
“This is not the first time the suspect has been caught. It is about the third time he has been implicated in the same offences,” Sendaza said. “We have confirmed with manufacturers like Bukola that many of the items found here are not their products, but fakes packaged and branded by the suspect.”
According to preliminary findings, the suspect is believed to have printed counterfeit labels possibly from Nasser Road before repackaging the fake products in bottles bearing brand names of legitimate companies.
Officials warned that the sale of such products not only cheats farmers of their money but also undermines agricultural productivity and food security.
“Our mandate is to enforce standards and protect farmers. We call upon farmers to buy inputs only from authorised dealers or directly from manufacturers’ outlets to avoid falling victim to such fraud,” Sendaza advised.
The suspect has been handed over to police and is expected to be arraigned in court to face charges related to counterfeiting and fraud.
Investigations are ongoing to determine the full extent of the operation and whether other dealers are involved.
