The Lower Eastern Times Opening The Third Eye
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Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi has clarified that the fertilizer currently under investigation for allegations of being counterfeit and falsely labeled as government-subsidized was not fake but rather substandard.
Speaking before the Senate Agriculture Committee, Linturi emphasized that while the fertilizer distributed through the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) stores across the nation did not meet the approved nutrient composition ratio, it was not entirely useless or counterfeit.
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Linturi elaborated that the fertilizer’s shortfall lay in its nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium (N-P-K) percentage, falling below the agreed standards. He likened the situation to producing bread below the standard weight, stressing that such deviations did not render the product fake but merely substandard.
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The ongoing probe was initiated following the airing of a documentary titled ‘Fertile Deception’ by African Uncensored, which exposed the widespread distribution of counterfeit government fertilizer, posing a threat to food security. Despite these revelations, Linturi affirmed that government fertilizers undergo rigorous testing and approval processes before reaching farmers.
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Notably, the NCPB has prohibited the sale of NPK 10:26:10 fertilizers from Ken Chemicals Limited and Kelphos Plus, Kelphos Gold, and NPK 10:26:10 from KEL Chemicals due to their failure to meet Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) specifications. SBL Innovate Manufacturers Limited is also under scrutiny in connection with the scandal.
Additionally, eight KEBS officials have been suspended for their alleged involvement in issuing certification and quality marks to companies implicated in the fertilizer controversy.
