Yara Tanzania Ltd refutes counterfeit fertilizer claims

YARA Tanzania Limited, a producer of fertilizers in the country, has embarked on a country-wide campaign against counterfeit fertilizers that bear its brand name, following reports on the company supplies farmers with fake fertilizer in various parts of the country.

 

The company’s country manager, Mr Pal Stormorken,said that there are unscrupulous traders engaging in counterfeiting Yara fertilizers by reusing bags bearing the Yara trademark. “So far, a total of 88 bags of fake fertilizers repackaged as Yara fertilizers have been impounded in various outlets,” he said.

 

He said the campaign is being carried out by Yara in collaboration with NexLaw Advocates, Fair Competition Commission (FCC) and the Police, saying his company was also closely cooperating with the Tanzania Fertilizer Regulatory Authority (TFRA).

 

“Our plan and commitment is to continue with such operations from time to time in areas which our products are being sold,” he said. He said his company would continue to develop other technical measures that will render Yara fertilizer bags unusable once opened, saying the measures will disable the fraudulent dealers of recycling Yara bags and repacking them with counterfeits.

 

Mr Stormorken refuted allegations that his company is behind the supply of fake fertilizers, saying on the contrary Yara has at all times maintained high professional standards and supplied high quality products.

 

“Yara’s company policy and standard of practice aim at manufacturing and supplying quality fertilizers based on crop specific crop nutrition programmes,” he said. He said Yara will continue with educational programmes raising awareness to teach farmers on how to distinguish between counterfeit and genuine fertilizers from Yara.

 

“This initiative is being carried out through community based public training to farmers as well as displaying in all selling points the posters which details and identifying marks of a genuine Yara bags,” said Mr Stormorken.

 

He pointed out that his company was constructing 25 million US Dollar fertilizer packaging and warehousing facility at Kurasini area in Dar es Salaam, so as to meet market needs in the country and in neighbouring countries. “In view of this development and huge investment which we are making in Tanzania in the fertilizer industry, it would be utterly strange and illogical to engage in supplying counterfeit fertilizer,” he said.