Sell adulterated seeds and go to jail, Seed Council warns

The National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC) has warned that one year imprisonment or one million naira fine awaits anyone who sold adulterated sells to farmers in the country. Dr Olusegun Ojo, NASC Director-General, gave the warning at the 2018 AgraInnovate Conference and Exhibition in Lagos. He said that NASC was the governmental agency responsible for […]

The National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC) has warned that one year imprisonment or one million naira fine awaits anyone who sold adulterated sells to farmers in the country.

Dr Olusegun Ojo, NASC Director-General, gave the warning at the 2018 AgraInnovate Conference and Exhibition in Lagos.

He said that NASC was the governmental agency responsible for coordinating and regulating the seed industry in the country.

“It is against the law for anybody to produce, market or sell seeds without proper accreditation from the council.

“There are a number of people who are out to adulterate seeds and the council is out to ensure that this does not happen.

“People who have done it in the past have been penalized; in fact three seed companies have been de-listed for supplying bad quality seeds to farmers,” Ojo said.

According to him, seeds are the most important element and cornerstone of agriculture, adding that it is the building block of the sector.

The director general said that seeds were so fundamental to agriculture and should not be trifled with.

He explained that before food security could be discussed, seed security must first of all be settled.