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Elita Chikwati: Senior Reporter

Government and stakeholders in the agriculture industry are advocating for a custodial sentence for fake seed traders to curb the illegal activity. This comes after seed houses and farmers have continuously complained about the availability of fake seed on the market.In response to questions from farmers last week during the Constitution advocacy meeting in Bindura, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Mrs Virginia Mabhiza said Government would intervene.

She warned farmers against buying fake seed as they risked losing out on yields.

“We have received several reports on the issue and we are working on it. We advise farmers not to buy fake seed. We will tighten the law and advocate for custodial sentences without the option of a fine,” she said.

Recently, the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Lands and Agriculture raised concern over the rampant sale of fake seed and said they were going to consult Parliament to see if the law could be amended to impose stiffer penalties.

The committee’s chairperson, Mr Christopher Chitindi, said seed houses were disturbed by the sale of fake seed as this was affecting their business and food production.

“The seed houses have raised concern over the sale of fake seed on the market. We wish those doing it will get custodial sentence. We are going to take this to amend the Seed Act to criminalise those selling fake seed,” he said.

The Zimbabwe Seed Traders’ Association also called on authorities to come up with stiffer penalties for people selling fake seed as the current $20 fine was not prohibitive enough.

ZSTA president Mr Denias Zaranyika said stocktheft attracted a mandatory nine-year jail term but people selling fake seed paid a paltry $20 fine, which was not deterrent enough.

“It is disturbing that some people spend their hard-earned cash buying fake seed and compromise their yields. “Due to technology some unscrupulous people can scan seed packaging from different seed houses and pack fake seed. Some unsuspecting farmers end up buying fake seed. This compromises yields,” he said.

“The problem has extended to chemicals and fertilisers,” he said.